Boundaries of Tolerance
by Sensara
Summary: Companion piece to Boundaries of Propriety. Meral, L'Vek's aide, would like nothing better than to leave the cold dampness of San Francisco behind. But L'Vek sends him to the grocery store, and the patrons direct him to a human woman for help. Now he sees her everywhere, and the more he sees, the more he realizes that he can't escape. Rated T for safety, some chapters may be M.
1. The Meeting

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing. "Vulcan Adviser 2" has no lines, four small scenes, and is background scenery at best. But who says he doesn't have a story?**_

_**A/N: I do not mean to poke fun at Jamaicans. I believe they are a wonderful people, resilient and cheerful. I want to compliment that, not mock it. I apologize if my attempts at transcribing what a Jamaican native might sound like seem awkward or just wrong.**_

Meral glared out the high window at the rain pounding against the glass. Rain was all too common in this city, on this world, and it had the irritating habit of making everyone in it feel cold and uncomfortable. Even inside, he felt a chill in his bones, and he sighed, turning back to his report.

"Meral," L'Vek said, stepping out of his office. His aide raised his head in acknowledgment.

"Go to the grocery store on Fifth Avenue and get these items," the adviser instructed, handing him a hand-written list. Meral raised an eyebrow, and before he could protest, L'Vek was back in his office and the door was closed.

Meral could only sigh.

The rain and chilly winds seemed to grope his flesh despite the layers of clothes he had on. His robes were designed to keep the heat out, but what he needed now was a robe to keep heat _in_. Even in the full light of day, San Francisco trembled with chill. He hated the rain. He hated the fog. He hated the city, the people, the entire planet. He wanted to leave and go back to Vulcan, but Osu Soval kept him here for some reason only the ambassador knew.

The harsh fluorescent lights of the grocery store brought him no comfort. The air was still and stifling, yet still managed to be too cold. He was used to still air, but the bellicose winds rattling the windows made him feel uneasy. The dank, frigid air stole away any warmth in his body, and with the warmth went any tolerance he had for these irrational humans.

Very few humans were in the store, not that he blamed them, and he wandered around, glancing at the list Osu L'Vek had given him. It was only then that he realized he had no idea what any of the items were exactly, and he sighed, forced to ask for assistance.

He pushed his cart towards a wizened old man gazing intently at a light green, head-sized bulb of frilly leaves. The old man seemed to know what they were, because he picked one up and put it in a bag. Meral approached him before he could move away, not that the man was moving especially fast.

"Could you help me with this list?" the Vulcan asked. The man turned and peered at him with beady blue eyes.

He took the list and raised an eyebrow at it, then handed it back. "Forgot my reading contacts today. I know this store inside out, and I don't need no list to tell me what my Meredith needs...sorry, sonny."

"My name is not Sonny."

"I never said your name was Sonny. You're a young thing, though. Still got hair on yer head, don' cha?" Meral noted that the man was balding.

"I am nearly 96 years old."

"What? You're just pullin' my leg, aren't cha? Young upstarts always bothering the older folks...wasn't like that in my day...people had respect for each other, don' cha know."

"I do not," he said, then sighed. "Do you know someone who _can_ help me?"

The man was already walking away. "Can't forget those tomatoes, Cleo will want those...don't grow 'maters like they used to..."

The elderly human had apparently taken leave of his sanity. Meral hurried after him. "Do you know someone who can help me?" he repeated, chiding himself for the desperation in his tone of voice. He wanted nothing more than to get out of this place and go back to the Consulate. At least it was warmer in there.

"Huh? Oh!" the human exclaimed, apparently remembering that Meral had asked him a question. "Eh...ask Judith Keeler...last time I think I saw her in the flour aisle. That's baked goods, aisle 13."

The old man shuffled off, moving slower than a sandworm's pace, still muttering about tomatoes.

"Are you looking for Judith?" a woman asked, coming up to him. Her hair was graying, and she looked concerned. At least she was helpful.

"Yes," he replied. The woman pointed him to aisle 13 and strolled off towards the old man. "Jimmy!" she greeted him, but he turned away, not wanting to witness their emotional greetings.

He walked towards the aisle, wondering if the woman had impaired vision as well. Both the man and the woman directed him towards this aisle, towards Judith, whoever she was.

Meral pushed his cart down the aisle, but no one was there. He suppressed a growl of irritation and made to turn his cart around and head back to the other woman, but as he did, his cart crashed into another cart, and a human woman fell backward onto the floor.

He frowned and flared his nostrils at the woman on the ground, his eyes pouring over her mocha-toned skin. She had on next to nothing in his opinion, and no self-respecting Vulcan woman would ever be caught outside the bedroom in such attire. He heard very soft music, and he realized it was coming out of the tiny little earbuds that she yanked out of her ears.

"Eh," she greeted, her accent different than any he had ever heard. "Watch dat cart dere, man." She smiled up at him though, seemingly unaffected by the fall.

He stepped forward and hauled her to her feet in one fell swoop, then dislodged his cart from hers.

"Perhaps you should take those things out of your ears and watch where you are going," he said coldly, staring at his list as if it too were offending him. "_Illogical humans_," he muttered in Vulcan.

Her cheerful attitude was, strangely enough, making him even more irked at this entire situation. It was rainy and cold outside. How could she be so cheerful? In his opinion, there was nothing about this situation to be cheerful about.

"It is good you are not injured," he conceded, then moved on, trying his hardest to decipher his list.

She grinned at him "I 'ate to be da one using the logic 'ere Mr. Vulcan, but I was standing still 'ere, you were moving, so da laws of physics..." She shrugged. "Objects in motion an' all dat."

He ignored her and stared at the list. The other humans in the store had suggested finding Judith, and he sincerely hoped it wasn't this insufferable cheerful woman standing beside him. He felt her look over his shoulder, and he glared at her, inching away from her and her cart. Didn't she know anything about personal space?

"Oh dearie, you won't find dat list 'ere. But I know where you can," she said, but shrugged when he glared at her.

He debated with himself, watching her, keeping her in sight as she walked away down the aisle, scanning the items for what she needed. She knew where he could get these things, the things he wasn't even sure how to pronounce. She seemed friendly enough...

"Are you Judith Keeler?" he asked, walking back up to her. She turned and gave him a bright smile.

"Yes ai," she said cheerfully.

"An old man named Jimmy told me to ask you for help with this list," he explained, handing it to her.

She frowned. "I don' know no man named Mister Jimmy," she said, put she looked at his list again anyway.

He frowned as well, both at the old man knowing her name when she claimed not to know him in return, and at her use of a double negative. Her improper English and her thick accent made her hard to understand. He made a mental note to look for the old man again. Perhaps Judith was much less observant than the old man, or perhaps she had forgotten him, or simply knew him by another name.

A crack of thunder shook the building, and he shivered in the cold. Even the light from above, the fluorescent lamps, were cold and sterile, and the sooner he got back to the Consulate, the more content he would be.

"You're lucky I'm goin' dat way," she murmured, making him snap to attention. She tucked the list into the strap of her bra and pushed her cart to the check out. "Of course you gonna 'afta follow me. Dis place I goin' is a wee bit out da way."

She paid for the things in her cart and walked out of the store. When she was almost to the door, she looked back over her shoulder at him. "You comin'?"

His eyes slid down to her hips, and he watched for a moment as her backside swayed, as if in invitation. He blinked rapidly and stuck his hands inside his robes as defense against the cold, and he flared his nostrils again and narrowed his eyes at her as he glanced sidelong. She led him through the streets, covering him with her umbrella, and for that, at the very least, he was grateful.

"Don't fret, me brotha Vulcan!" she said cheerfully, holding out her hand to catch some of the rain. "De sunshine come soon."

Soon they were in a tiny ethnic cuisine store, and he took one breath of the air and felt the cold melt from his shoulders. Something in this shop smelled...heavenly, and he blinked, flaring his nostrils so he could take in more of the pleasing scent.

"Welcome to 'eaven, Mister Vulcan man. Dis is where you gonna find all you need." She grinned and pulled the list from her bra strap. "Ok 'ere, first we gonna be in da spices."

He followed her lead and walked with her down a cramped aisle, and the scent of the place, though pleasing, was slightly overwhelming. She took a deep inhale of the aromas swirling around in the air.

"Tell me Mister Vulcan man, who be cookin' for that need all dis? You 'ave yourself some special woman. She be 'uman if you do. Egyptian if I'm not goin' crazy. Dis be an Egyptian recipe you cookin' for."

She pulled a scoop from the bulk spices and held it out to him. "Dis is cinnamon. 'Ave yourself a smell of dat."

"She is not my mate," he insisted, taking a sniff of the substance as he was instructed to do. He growled softly and closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. When his eyes opened again, his gaze was focused on her shoulder, and he knew his eyes must be dark. The smell had hit his brain like a psychoactive drug, and his mouth was beginning to water as he stared at the creamy flesh of her shoulder, smooth, unmarked...

He caught his train of thought and blinked rapidly, handing her the cinnamon and turning away, discreetly pinching himself under his robes. Now was not the time to lose his head...his fever wasn't for another three years, so why was he suddenly feeling...beastly?

Her tank top was not designed to be modest, and he could clearly spy the smooth curve of her breast, the smooth expanse of her collarbone...his mouth was watering again, and he swallowed thickly.

Judith bagged up some of the cinnamon and handed it to him. "Der you go, dat's one ting off your list." She winked and walked with a sway down the aisle, collecting the spices from the bulk containers, then handing them to him.

She looked at the list again, and a mischievous gleam twinkled in her dark eyes. "Dis gonna be romantic meal, dese are da spices and tings of love."

She gathered up a substance called chocolate nibs, and she even took one for herself and popped it into her mouth. She handed him the other one, and he looked down at the tiny shriveled brown nib in his palm.

"By da by, what kind of gentleman lets a girl 'elp him but does not give dat girl 'is name?"

He let the chocolate melt on his tongue before swallowing it, and he closed his eyes at the bittersweet taste. He was feeling a little...lightheaded, and the sooner he got out of this shop, out of this smell, away from that exotic beat...he thought he heard the Vulcan lyre playing over the speakers...and was that a marriage gong and drum? He breathed in slowly and got a good inhale of the chocolate she was shoving in his arms, and his eyes snapped open as she walked away, swaying her hips at him.

"De music entrance you, Vulcan?" she teased, handing him another item on the list. "Now, me brotha, tell me yer name."

"My name is Meral, Ms. Keeler," he said softly, accepting another one of the items she handed to him. "Is that everything?"

"Yes, Mr. Meral," she confirmed.

He followed behind her and quickly paid for the wares with the credit stick L'Vek had loaned him, and his haze ended swiftly when he discovered the downpour had increased.

Judith flashed an open smile at him. "You be frettin' da rain, but moisture, it bring life, brotha Vulcan."

She handed him her umbrella, opening it for him. "Consider it a gift Mr. Meral, da Vulcan man." She stepped out into the rain, and even as it soaked her, she smiled. "It wash away a multitude of problem, no?"

She blew him a kiss and then casually walked down the street with her packages in her arms. She glanced back at him, her eyes cutting him like the cold wind, then she rounded the corner, disappearing from his sight.


	2. The Festival

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Ahlysha, maba7x, T'Sara and 2redbird for reviewing!**_

Meral shoved the items he had been ordered to get and the dripping umbrella into L'Vek's arms before silently stomping off towards his room. The walk home, though drier, had done nothing to improve his mood. He narrowed his eyes at a passing colleague, Sorak, and slipped into his room to be alone. He needed to meditate. The sound of that music from the shop was still ringing in his ears, and the smell of the place had not yet faded completely from his nose.

He hastily lit a candle and folded his hands in the proper way, then set out to re-center his mind. He focused on propriety, and Judith's apparent lack of it. She dressed as if she were ready for bedroom escapades, she walked as if she wanted every man in her sights to come on to her...she made him inhale what might possibly be a psychoactive drug and made him taste things he did not want to eat. She was a nuisance, and the sooner he forgot about her, the better.

He closed his eyes and banished the thought of Judith from his mind.

…

L'Vek returned to his quarters once he had prepared the meal Meskhenet wanted him to try, and the smells arising from the tray were enough to make his head swim. But it was a pleasant sensation, he discovered, entering his room to see his Emmie lounging on the couch in only a bathrobe. He set the tray down on the coffee table and slid in beside her, and she lifted her head, kissing him softly on the lips.

"Ready to eat, _habibi_?" she murmured, and he nodded.

"How did Meral like his shopping trip?"

L'Vek raised an eyebrow. "He did not seem to enjoy it at all. But I find it very strange that he came back looking even more...put off than usual. He was in a very foul temper and went to meditate, or so I assume. I wouldn't suggest prying into his affairs. He strongly dislikes this planet and its people."

She sighed, but obligingly opened her mouth when he offered her a spoonful of a rice dish he had made. The corners of his lips curled upward when she moaned, and he put down the spoon and stroked her hair.

"Are you ready for the festival next week?" she asked. "My friend Judith and I are dancing at the Jamaican and Egyptian expos, respectively."

L'Vek nuzzled her neck. "I would very much like to see you dance," he purred, and she shivered in delight.

"_Habibi_, shouldn't we wait until after we eat?"

"Who says we can't do a little of both, hm?"

She grinned wickedly at him. "You naughty little Vulcan," she teased, then dipped her finger in hummus and held it out for him to take.

He smirked and obliged her, and she smiled in contentment.

…

He couldn't believe L'Vek had convinced him to go to this festival. The sun was out, but it was still chill, and yet L'Vek did not seem to mind the cold. They wandered through the crowd, watching all the displays. Competing music confused his ears, and all sorts of exotic smells made his head swim. Meral strongly disliked being among crowds of humans. They had no regard for personal space nor any sort of propriety, and being out here, even if it was warming up, was stretching his tolerance to the limits.

"My _a'duna_ will be performing at expo 78. She showed me a picture of the flag that will be flying above it."

Meral nodded stiffly, glancing sidelong at a human weaving through the crowd, headed in the opposite direction. The man had on a ridiculous-looking feathered mask that rose two feet above the crowd, and everyone else was looking at him with smiles on their faces. How could these humans be so cheerful?

They arrived at long last at expo 78, and just as they took a seat in the back of the crowd, the dancer on stage finished their performance, and everyone clapped.

An announcer came out with a microphone. "Next, representing Africa and her mother, the notable and beloved human rights activist Kimbe Keeler, comes our next performer, Judith Keeler, from our very own San Francisco!"

The crowd clapped politely, but Meral felt his jaw relax slightly. It was _her_.

She was dressed in little more than a loincloth, a brassiere, and beads, and he watched, transfixed as the heavy and irregular beat resounded through the tent. He clenched his jaw and his fist, seemingly unable to take his eyes off of her. She moved like a prowling _sehlat _protecting its kits from harm, and her leaps and twists and turns made him feel dizzy, and warmer. He wished wildly for a moment that he had a _lirpa _in his hand, but not to fight...why did he need a weapon? The woman dancing on stage was...harmless...Judith was harmless...

"_Are you unwell?_" L'Vek whispered to him in Vulcan.

Meral shook his head. "_I am adequate_," he replied stiffly.

She moved faster and faster, stomping and leaping and filling his head with the wildest of visions. She looked as if she belonged in the desert, her figure lithe and sinewy, able to leap from rock to rock as she hunted...why was he dwelling on this?

The dance blessedly ended soon after, and he blinked, like a man awaking from a dream.

The announcer stated that L'Vek's T'Sai was next, and she walked onto the stage with a bright smile, her eyes searching the crowd. She spotted L'Vek, and her smile widened, and her piece was short, a lascivious dance involving gyrating her hips all over the stage. Meral thought privately to himself that he wouldn't let any mate of his dance like that in front of all these people, but he also noted that Meskhenet did not take her eyes from L'Vek, as if she were calling to him, gesturing him forward with her hips...

Meral shook his head of the thought and clapped politely when the dance ended, but only for the sake of his superior.

"Mister Vulcan man!" he heard behind him, and he turned and saw Judith Keeler standing there, her hands on her hips.

L'Vek raised an eyebrow at him. "You know this woman?"

"Ai, Mister Vulcan man. Dat be Meral, da man who shop in de pourin rain."

Meral bowed his head. "Ms. Keeler helped me find the ingredients you requested, Osu," he explained, and Judith's eyes lit up.

"Oh, so _yer _de Vulcan who cook de food 'o love, man?"

"I did cook a meal the night Meral went out to the grocery store. It was food. There was no connotation connected to it."

"An' where did me Vulcan brotha get dat recipe?"

"My wife gave it to me. The woman who belly-danced just now."

Her eyes lit up again. "Emmie girl is yer wife, eh?"

"Yes, Emmie is my wife."

Ms. Sadir came up to them and gestured for them to leave, and Meral followed, his posture stiffening when Judith fell in step beside him.

"See, Mister Meral?" she said, gesturing up to the heavens. "De sunshine come back, and we celebrate dis day! Yes ai, life is sweet as de suga when you let it be."

He couldn't help but notice that she was still wearing that ridiculous outfit, but she also had a bag slung over her shoulder, and he hoped some more decent clothes were contained therein.

"If you gentlemen aren't opposed to hiking a bit, I know a bistro a few blocks from here that should be a lot less crowded."

L'Vek and Judith both approved of this idea, but Meral stayed silent. The crowd of people pressed in on his senses, and he was eager to be away from this place, but he would rather not be in a bistro. He was no longer hungry, and he preferred the quiet of the Consulate to the buzz of the shops. He sighed and followed though, knowing L'Vek wanted his company.

The bistro Emmie led them to specialized in Indian cuisine; they took a seat in the back, and Meral groaned inwardly as Judith sat across from him. The restaurant was alive with foreign, exotic smells, and he thought he recognized one of them from the shop...

"De cinnamon, Mister Vulcan man," Judith whispered across the table. Her voice sounded flirtatious, and he flared his nostrils in response. "Smells like 'eaven."

He was forced to take a deep breath, and already he could feel the scent affecting him...what was this substance that made him feel so...relaxed? So...alive?

Then he remembered that it acted on his brain like a psychoactive drug, and yet he couldn't find it within himself to be displeased about that. He felt the smell rejuvenate his senses, and for a moment, he thought this might not be a drug after all, but simply a calming substance, like lavender apparently was to humans.

Judith ordered the chai spice tea for the table. "I am tinking we get a family style lunch," she said aloud, looking at the menu. "I am starving, and dis way we all get to try new food."

Emmie smiled. "Good plan, Judith." She looked at L'Vek. "That means we all order an item and they bring it and place it in the center of the table, so we can all try everything."

L'Vek nodded. "That is agreeable. It is much the way our homes work on Vulcan."

The waitress brought the chai and poured a glass for everyone, then took everyone's order. She bowed to them and left them in peace.

Judith sipped the tea, moaning slightly. "Nothin' be betta than a well brewed spice tea after a long day." She set her eyes on him. "Drink da tea Mister Vulcan man, you look like a sad day. Keep da sunshine in yer heart and you neva 'ave a cold day."

Meral took a sip of the tea, and he felt his body relax against his will. He leaned back in the seat, closing his eyes. The beat of the music over the speaker was rather soothing, and with every breath, he felt his veins spark with life. He felt...strong, virile, like a warrior of old. And all from this cinnamon...

He opened his eyes and saw that Judith was watching him closely, and he finally let his expression relax into something he thought was more neutral than his usual displeasure.

Judith smiled warmly. "See now, Mister Vulcan man, dere is healing power in tea shared wit friends. De day don' seem so cold now." She winked at him.

He watched, momentarily transfixed, as she took a sip of her tea.

Her lips were full, and as he knew from their contact with his cheek, they were soft, plump, luscious...he was spellbound as he watched her tongue flick out and stroke across her bottom lip, then retreated. He swallowed thickly, taking another hasty sip of tea.

"And now he can't get enough," Meskhenet teased, and Judith giggled. Her voice was low when she laughed, and it snuck into his ears like a searching tongue...

He blinked the thought away and reached for some of the flatbread on the plate, and he bit the inside of his cheek when Judith's fingers brushed his.

"It seem we cannot stop running into each other, Mister Vulcan man, 'ere." she said, placing the flat bread they were both going after on his plate. "I tink you want it more dan I. And I don' want ya to be frownin' any more so you 'ave it."

L'Vek stood and handed Meral his credit chip. "I have the desire to be alone with Emmie to discuss the matter of our trip to Vulcan. You will stay and pay for this, and take Ms. Keeler out for dessert when she is ready. I have no more need for you the rest of today."

He held up his two fingers to Emmie. "Attend, my wife," he said, and then looked at Judith. "I hope we see more of you. I find you agreeable."

He gulped and watched them leave, then took another sip of tea, his eyes fixed on the table.

"Come now, Mister Vulcan man, I be dat bad?" He glanced up at her and was once again momentarily distracted by her warm brown gaze.

"No, I suppose not," he replied, taking a bite of the flatbread, then closing his eyes. The flavor was buttery and rich, not like the simple foods he was used to...

His eyes snapped open when he realized he had taken what she had put on his plate. She may not have made it, but still...

_she didn't make it herself_, he told himself. _And I am paying for this meal anyway. This is not her show of providing for me._

He sighed and took another bite. "This bread is...agreeable." His muscles had tensed when L'Vek left, but he was slowly relaxing again.

"It be betta if you add some of dis," she suggested, scooping out a light beige sauce out of a bowl. "It is a bit spicy, but da flavor..." She moaned as she put some of the bread in her mouth. He frowned at her, wondering why she was making such inappropriate noises in public.

She sipped her tea, and he followed suit, trying not to let his eyes drift downward to her scantily clad form. The owners of the bistro were apparently letting things slide today, considering all the ridiculous costumes everyone was wearing.

Judith stood and grabbed her bag. "I be back Mister Vulcan man. Don' you be running off on me!"

A few minutes later, she came back, dressed in proper clothes. Well, proper was an overstatement. She was dressed in a tank top and short shorts, as if she didn't mind who saw her in what was little more than underwear, in his opinion.

"Dere, maybe now you won' be lookin' at me like I be throwin' myself a' you, eh? I'll be ok with takin' you up on some dessert. I know a place."

She grinned and filled his tea cup up, and then hers. "So what do you do fo' Mr. L'Vek, Mister Vulcan man?" she purred softly, sipping her tea and eating some of the vegetables off the platter. She took one, a long orange stick, and swirled it in some sauce before popping it in her mouth. She then sucked her fingers, cleaning off the sauce that was smeared on her digits.

What little relaxation he had found in the flavorful tea was now gone, and he watched as if spellbound as she continued to eat. He didn't even hear her question, he was so transfixed with her lips forming a perfect "o" around her fingers as she sucked each one. He pinched his thigh to give himself focus again, and he looked down at the flavorful tea in front of him, realizing she was waiting on some sort of answer from him.

"I am his aide," he said. "I deliver messages, act as his secretary, summarize reports to be sent to the High Command, and do other various things that he needs done, such as shopping for a dinner."

"You seem like a smart man, Mister Vulcan," she said, her eyes hooded. "I bet dat L'Vek give you a run for your money. 'e come off being serious, but I see in 'is eyes some ting else...he has a mischief about 'im. You on da otha 'and..."

She paused and leaned over the table. "You give off da vibe dat you hate all dat is Earth. But no worries my Vulcan man. We let you get away with dat until we show you all we 'ave to offer."

He frowned down at the food left on his plate and took another reluctant bite.

"You don't be going back to work today?"

"Apparently not," he replied coldly, taking another sip of his tea.

"Den we gonna get out of 'ere and I will take you to some place dat loosen you up."

She stood and held out her hand. "Come on, Mister Vulcan man, we give you some 'uman adventure." She winked. "If we 'urry we can beat de crowd. And I don' be wantin' any arguments."


	3. The Park

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you to Fameanon (Meral), Ahlysha, 2redbird, and maba7x for reviewing. And thank you to Fameanon. You know why, sweetie!**_

Judith finished the last bite of her ice cream, and she smiled as he licked his lips, cleaning the last of the praline confection from his lips. His eyes looked glassy in the late afternoon sunlight, and she stared at him, suddenly absorbed in his blue eyes.

"Der, Mister Vulcan man," she said with a grin, handing him a napkin as he reached for one, winking at him. "Nothin betta for soothin da soul den praline ice cream."

"It was...agreeable. High in unnecessary calories, but...agreeable."

"Oh come now, Mister Vulcan man," she teased, playfully punching his shoulder. "Dat is heaven in a bowl."

Meral frowned, "Why did you strike me? Did I say something offensive?"

Judith laughed, "No no Mister Vulcan man. I was playin' wit you."

He looked at his empty bowl of ice cream, "It was agreeable." He swallowed hard, then grabbed his glass of water. "It is unwise to touch a Vulcan male in that fashion. Especially one who is unbonded. Or as you would say...not married."

She raised an eyebrow and led him from the ice cream parlor, down the sunny streets of San Francisco. She felt so happy she could skip, and she grinned at him, spinning around with glee at the sight of the sun.

"What did I say, Mister Vulcan? Da sun come out, and all life grow wit it!"

She laughed, stopping herself of embracing him, but she did keep a grin on her face as they walked to the Consulate.

"Well, Mr. Meral, da sun is shinin'. I say we go to da park and sit in the sunshine, you and I. No need to be frettin' on a sunny day like dis!"

Meral frowned again. "I do not understand the term "frettin", Ms. Keeler. Could you please expound on what it means?"

"It mean to worry." she said with a smile. Emmie said she often had to explain things to L'Vek, and now she had that honor. "You be frownin' as if your best dog died."

Meral shook his head. "Worry is a human emotion. I do not worry, or as you say, frettin'." He paused, glaring at her as if she had killed his dog, but she simply smiled and absorbed the wonderful sunshine. "What are we going to do at this park you speak of?"

"We will walk, Mister Meral, or jus' sit in de sun," she said cheerfully, smiling at some blooming flowers by the sidewalk. She stooped and plucked one, then tucked it into her braids. "You need to warm up dem cold bones."

She grinned as he raised an eyebrow, and she skipped and shuffled beside him all the way to the park down the road. He kept steady stride with her, his hands clasped tightly behind his back, and she couldn't help but giggle at the way he looked. So uptight, so reserved. L'Vek gave off the feeling of being reserved, but he seemed relaxed, at home in his own skin. Meral seemed like with every step he took, he knew himself less and less, and found everything around him disagreeable and irritating.

"You know what you need? Sunny skies and da heat o' de tropics. You come with I, to Jamaica, me mudda country."

He made a scoffing sound. "I do not think that is going to happen. I have work, and Vulcans do not take vacations and time off like you humans do." He paused again, and she was learning that when he made that expression, furrowing his brow, he seemed to be gathering his thoughts, and would possibly negate his previous argument with another statement, or concede to a point. "The heat of a location would be agreeable though...on the hottest days here it still seems frigid."

She smiled in her victory, and pushed it home with a laugh. "I'll ask Emmie den, and she ask Mr. L'Vek for me...you come with I, one way o' anotha. You need da heat in dem bones, Mr. Meral. Don deny it."

She punched him playfully on the arm again and skipped ahead of him to the park, and she found an unoccupied bench at the top of a hill. It looked towards the city, whereas on the other side of the hill, through a copse of trees, the view was that of the Bridge and the Bay, so that vista was already occupied. She patted the seat next to her and grinned at him.

"Sit wit me, Mister Vulcan man. Let de sun get in your body."

His gaze lingered on her attire, and she supposed that with garb like his, he found her tank top and shorts disgusting and immodest. But what did he know?

"Why do you keep touching me, Miss Judith? I have stated..." She stopped listening, as she heard some reggae music coming from the couple walking past, walking slowly, dancing as she was. She folded her hands into loose fists and began to sway, dipping and shrugging her shoulders, rolling her body, shaking her hips. The sun was shining, the flowers smelled sweet, and reggae music was in the air. What was this Vulcan's problem? Couldn't he see the bright side of life and lighten up?

She turned to him and grinned at his expression. "Don be a cloud on a sunny day, man! Dis right 'ere...dis my paradise!"

She continued to dance in her seat, and she felt so happy she just might laugh with joy. She waved cheerfully to the couple as they passed their bench, and they raised an eyebrow at her companion, but she held up her hands, as if to say, "what else can lighten up this Vulcan than sunshine and some reggae"?

She was dancing with her eyes closed when suddenly the sunlight was blocked by a shadow, and she was drenched in his scent. She looked up, her eyes snapping open, and she saw Meral place himself in front of her. She glanced around him to look at who or what he was blocking, and she saw a man leering at her like she was the last pork chop on the buffet line. She rolled her eyes and retreated into his robes, and while Meral's back was turned, she took a discreet sniff of his scent.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes, breathing him in. He smelled like musk and spice, and something in that scent was warming her. She felt wonderful when she smelled his robes, and the sunlight and the dying reggae combined with the discovery that Mr. Meral smelled so good was making her heart beat faster than usual.

She made to take them off and return them with a thank you, but he placed a hand on her, holding the robes to her body. "No. Wear this while we are in this place. Human men leer, and it is not appropriate that they look upon you in that fashion."

She smiled and bowed her head, closing her eyes so she could smell his scent better. "Tank you, Mr. Meral." She buried her nose deeper into his robes. "Smells like heaven," she groaned, so softly he probably couldn't understand.

He turned abruptly to her. "I will walk you home. I must leave and attend my...meditations." His voice was gravely, and he could not look directly at her.

"Come Judith," he insisted, walking away. "You must attend...we are leaving now."

She frowned slightly, but stood, wrapping the warm, deliciously scented robes around her, grinning contentedly like a kitten taking a luxurious nap in the sunlight.

"I understand, Mr. Vulcan Man. You want to get out of de wind. You get inside, you get warm, and you take dese robes dat smell like heaven wit you."

He gave her a look that seemed akin to shock, but she just patted his shoulder. "You keep de sunshine in your heart, Mr. Meral." She gave the robes one more appreciate sniff as he turned his back, then handed them back to him, and they parted ways.

…

L'Vek called Meral into his office when he heard news that he was back from his outing. He knew it was a high hope that Meral would stay out until the evening, but mid-afternoon was a good start.

"Was your outing pleasant, Meral?" he asked casually.

Meral raised an eyebrow, "My time out was...disagreeable. Despite warnings to the contrary, Ms. Keeler touched me repeatedly. She danced all the time, dressed in little more than what a Vulcan woman would wear to bed. Then a human man leered at her."

He shook his head and looked out the window. "Disagreeable. I do not know how you find their company appealing. Now, she wants to go to some place called Jamaica, taking me and I am assuming you and T'Sai."

He turned back to L'Vek. "I would respectfully request that you deny her request on my behalf..."

Emmie strode in and smiled pleasantly at Meral before leaning against his desk, holding her fingers for him to stroke. "Mr. Meral! How was your afternoon with Judith?"

"Disagreeable," he said curtly. "She kept touching me, and she dressed inappropriately. She kept dancing, and a human man leered at her." He shook his head, but Emmie raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"She touched you? How?"

"She kept punching my shoulder."

She smiled. "Oh, she was just playing with you, Meral! As for her clothes..." She pinched her nosebridge. "It's a good thing you've never been to the beach. Your eyeballs would pop out of your head, if you saw what some of those girls wear...Judith was practically dressed like a nun compared to them. And the dancing? That's Judith for you, Meral. She's a happy person. Get used to it."

L'Vek noticed Meral did not seem soothed by this information, and Meskhenet apparently noticed too, switching tactics. "What's this about a human guy?"

Meral looked to L'Vek in a way that begged that he not have to answer, but L'Vek insisted. Meral closed his eyes.

"There was a human man leering at her, T'Sai," he said simply.

L'Vek smirked. "And she wishes to take the three of us to her homeland, Jamaica. Does that sound agreeable to you, _a'duna_?"

He saw that Meral looked betrayed, but he ignored it. "I think it would be an agreeable. It might shock my colleague to see the beach wear you've mentioned, but I had you as a cultural attache...I believe it is time that Meral have the same expansion in his education." He slid his fingers down hers, silently begging for her to engage in this mischief with him.

She grinned in return. "How did you react when you saw the man leering at her? Did you...stand there and do nothing?"

L'Vek noted his ears turned green. "I do not wish to discuss it. If Osu believes my education can be expanded in Jamaica..." He sighed and hung his head in apparent defeat. "Then I will go."

"Very good, Meral," L'Vek said evenly. "Dismissed. As I said, you may use the day as you see fit. I will see you at the evening meal."

He waited until Meral was out of the room, then turned to his Meskhenet. "He desires her. I have never seen him so affected by anyone, Vulcan or human."

Emmie smirked. "Judith is going to love this..." She turned to L'Vek with mischief in her dark eyes. "Let's make a bet..."

L'Vek raised both eyebrows. "I am listening, _ashaya_."

"I bet before we leave Jamaica that Judith has him."

"Has him as in..."

Emmie nodded. "As in just that."

"I cannot bet against that for I think your observation is accurate."

She gave a wicked grin. "Then call Kuvak and see if we can get him in on this."

L'Vek gave an energetic nod as he turned on the comm, but he felt her hand over his.

"Let me revise that statement, _habibi._ Forget Kuvak. I bet you that before we leave for Jamaica - and let's say we leave in...three weeks. That should put us on schedule for the monthly field trip - that Judith will have kissed Meral. On the lips. And he won't pull away. If I win, I get to lecture you, and you don't get to lecture me back."

His gaze darkened. "If you win, you may lecture in any way you see fit, and I will allow you to do what you wish with me. Do we have a deal?"

He pulled her down for a kiss. "Yes, indeed we do, _a'duna_."

…

_Judith..._

_A whisper, a breath of wind in his ear, speaking her name..._

_Judith..._

_Something stirred within him at the sound of that name, something deep in his core, suppressed, often dormant, but now awake, and trying to break free..._

_Judith..._

_The name resounded in his ears, echoed in his head...as if his body were trying to imprint the very sound of it on his soul...his soul was crying out..._

_Judith Keeler..._

_The cry of a sehlat brought him to a dream state. He was sitting cross-legged on a high rock, watching the sun set behind the jagged line of the mountains. The dark horizon glowed for a moment, and he stood, ready to make his way down the rock and into the desert. He had to travel on._

_His eyes were fixed on the rugged path at his feet, but no robes hindered his descent to the desert floor. He was naked but for a loincloth around his waist, and in his hand, functioning at the moment as a walking stick, was a lirpa, its curved edge glowing in the ethereal light of T'Khut up above him._

_His gaze was drawn upward, and there, dancing in the moonlight, was a dark figure, garbed in a loincloth as well, her waist and wrists encircled with beads..._

Her.

_The word sprung from his core, resounding in his brain. _Her. _A call to action, a cry for flesh. _Her.

He awoke in cold sweat, his heart thundering wildly, and he contemplated the dream only a moment before banishing from his mind.

There was no way in the name of Surak that his _katra _was calling out for Judith Keeler.


	4. The Club

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Ahlysha, maba7x, 2redbird and the anon reviewer for reviewing!_**

Judith laughed as the cute boy with the dreads got her another drink, and she swayed her hips provocatively to the song. It was an old song, but everyone was too hammered to really notice. She knew she was getting tipsy, but she kept dancing, not wanting to leave this moment. She felt free and wonderful, and everything made sense. She wasn't worried about anything, and it was the greatest feeling in the world.

"Come dance with me and my friends!" the man yelled, and she grinned, holding out her hand.

"Yes ai!" she shouted, her accent thickening. She sang off-key to the song as she was dragged to the back of the club. The thick glass window was open to the square and lit up with LED lights, and she thought she smelled the outside air. Maybe someone had cracked a door open.

She began dancing with the boy and took another sip of her drink.

…

It started off as a walk after his meditation. He had taken two turns off his usual route, following some scent he couldn't recall; he knew somehow that he wanted what was making the scent. It had haunted him, tempted him...

It was only as the scent reached its apex that he stopped and turned. He froze. He saw Judith being dragged from a window in what looked like a dance establishment, and ire boiled through his blood. He saw people gyrating like...what was the term Soval said...human lasagna.

There was a burly human at the door, apparently guarding the entrance, and when the man asked for money, Meral simply pinched the man out and walked right in. He stalked through the crowd of people and caught Judith's arm, yanking her unceremoniously away from the human male.

"She has a right to a challenger!" he said sternly, and it took even him back. He had no reason to think humans did such rituals, if this was a ritual at all. He wondered why he said it, but it was too late; what he said was said.

"Come with me, Judith," he grumbled, smelling a sweet and spicy alcohol on her breath.

She laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Mister Vulcan man!" she yelled over the music. "You need to lighten up in 'ere!"

Judith pressed herself to him, then remembered who exactly Mister Vulcan Man was. And yet she was so drunk by now that she didn't really care. She went with him without protest, somehow knowing she would be ok, and she grinned when she felt the fresh air on her face again.

"It be hot like da summer night in dere, eh man?" Her accent was thick even to her ears, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. "When did Mister Vulcan Man start comin to de club?"

He sniffed. "I noticed you and rescued you. The way they were dancing with you...it is disgraceful."

"Now don be puttin dem judgement on my boys n girls, Vulcan. We move our bodies because we like to move our bodies." She wasn't making a convincing argument, but she was too drunk. "So...don be puttin it on dem girls now...don be like dat..."

He threw her over his shoulder and started walking. He did not know where he was going at this point, he just knew he was going far away from that place. He heard a man call out behind him and he turned.

The man with the short dreads was stalking toward him and displaying body language that Meral thought was threatening.

"Eh, Mon, whut da'ell you tink you do'n? You can't come up in 'ere and take-"

Meral had heard enough. He reached up and gently pinched him out.

The Vulcan turned and walked with greater haste than before. He had no desire to fight anyone, at least not with an inebriated woman on his shoulder. He turned the corner and walked quickly down the street. He headed toward the Embassy, thinking he could sneak her in, and get her food to soak some of whatever she was drinking out of her system.

"Put me down, Mister Vulcan Man!" she insisted, slapping his back. "I ain' no sack a bananas or no ting like dat. You put it down now, man, or I make a scene!"

He did as she requested and set her on her feet, and when she swayed, he caught her in his arms. She grinned up at him, just now noticing how lovely his blue eyes looked in the light of the streetlamp.

"I tell ya man, you can put it on me any day wit dose eyes...all de girls be wantin that, huh?"

She wasn't even sure what she was saying, or what she was doing, but somehow her hand started caressing his scalp, and her lips were pressed to his. He was warm, and she moaned, cupping his cheek. A sharp tingle of arousal rushed through her, and she automatically pressed her body to his, grinding gently against him. Her body was responding rapidly to his warmth, and her other hand twisted his robes, clutching him tightly. She moaned again, softly this time.

His eyes shot open and felt like they might bulge out of his skull as his heartrate doubled. He could taste sweet earth fruits mixed with the sting of alcohol on her lips. He felt her body grinding against him, her hands twisting his robes, and he returned the kiss as the beast that was driving his blood growled. He pushed her against the wall and grinded softly against her, his hands cupping her ample bosom as their mouths worked out the unspoken passion, the jealousy that drove him to anger seeing her with other men.

He pulled back with a start. She was drunk and what he was doing was immoral.

"Come with me Judith," he commanded, his voice deepening. "Do not speak, just come."

He took her by the hand and lead her down the street, chastising himself for giving in to his beast. She was a human, and had no desire beyond what the alcohol did to her to be a Vulcan wife. It would never work, and he was borderline V'tosh ka'tur in his behavior, for even desiring a human. He scoffed at himself.

He was up on her, and she was up against the wall, and she groaned in pleasure. She shivered in arousal, her hips jerking forward of their own accord, and she could still hear the beat of the club music in her head. She felt him start to grind on her, and she returned the pressure, deepening the kiss between them. She was in heaven, and she squealed in delight when he started touching her breasts.

And then he pulled away and said not to speak, and she stumbled behind, confused. Things were just getting steamy, and he pulled away!

"Don be a tease, Mister Meral," she growled, stopping him again. "You canna just grind on yer girl and get her hot like de tropics, den walk off an leave her cold."

He shook his head at her. "You are intoxicated, and if I took advantage of you now, that would be immoral of me."

"Yer high an mighty morals savin you now, but come time when I be sober and clean...I'll be knockin at yer door, an askin for anoda grind wit you."

"My morals are saving_ you_, Judith. You would likely not survive being a Vulcan wife," he said with a_ harumph_ in his voice. He had to keep reminding himself of that. "And we Vulcans do not just...grind, as you put it. It is forbidden to take anyone that is not your_ telsu_ or bondmate to bed. It is against the laws of Surak."

He turned the corner and then pulled her close. "You will have to be very quiet and not make a sound; if you make noise I will be forced to pinch you out. I am bringing you into a place where few humans have gone, but you require care...alcohol is a dangerous substance. Your erratic emotions and behavior are a testament to the effects."

She moaned as he pulled her back into his arms, and she leaned up and nibbled at his earlobe, not registering what he was saying. She licked at his ear until he pushed her away and squeezed her shoulder, and she groaned as her world turned to black.

…

When she awoke, she found herself on a bed. She was a little more sober, and she checked herself for stickiness, soreness, or any other signs of a date gone wrong. If she was going to sleep with someone, it was sober or nothing.

She seemed alright, and she turned her head to the side, trying to figure out where in the world she was. The room was empty, but it did not look like any human room she had ever stayed in. It wasn't until she saw the writing on a tapestry that she figured she might be on Vulcan.

Judith then scoffed at the idea, noticing the familiar San Francisco skyline outside her window. She was at the Consulate then.

Meral entered the room with a tray of food, analgesics, and cool beverage, as the database said they were common hangover medicines. He did not notice she was awake immediately, but did see her eyes parted when he sat down the tray on the bedstand. He shifted on his feet.

"Are you in pain? I am told hangovers cause headaches. I brought you a hypospray of analgesic medicine if you have one." He pointed in an almost robotic way at the tray. "You will also note that there is food for your consumption as well...I am told that consuming carbohydrates after drinking allows the hangover to pass quickly. To that end, I brought you banana bread with peanut butter for your protein requirements."

Her stomach growled in hunger, and she murmured a sincere thank-you before digging in to the banana bread and peanut butter. "Mm," she groaned, leaning back against the headboard, careful not to spill crumbs. "What happened?"

"You were at a...dance establishment...you were drunk, so I departed there with you. I brought you here."

"I remember warm 'ands, and dem lips..." She noted a shiny substance on his earlobe, and she leaned forward and rubbed her thumb over it. It was her lip gloss.

"I wasn't as smashed down as I tought, now was I? I knew dis Vulcan man still de hottest ting in town."

Meral looked away, turning to look out the window. "Yes, well..."

He stopped himself from saying all the things he wanted to say. Jealousy wanted him to say that she didn't seem to mind who was pawing at her considering the lewd dancing at that club. Desire wanted to say that she needed to show him again who this hottest thing in town was. Protectiveness wanted to tell her how dire of a mistake it would be if he held her in his arms the way he wanted to. And logic seemed to be mute on the whole subject.

"You should eat, and rehydrate," he said eventually, his deep voice even. "It is terrible what this alcohol does to your body."

He pulled a paper out of his robes. "I brought you the morning paper for your reading enjoyment. It is Saturday, but I must return to work. I will return in 4.5 hours, so until then use the room as you see fit. It is my quarters. Please do not wander out of it. No one knows you are here and in your state of dress..." He looked away again. "Your presence would be provocative. Many vulcans here have never seen a human outside of a uniform. If you require anything, the red button on the wall will comm me."

He left, and she sipped at the cold juice he had obtained for her. She was touched, and for a moment she felt guilty about her behavior. But then she remembered that Meral had given her no good reason to be faithful to him at all. He had not asked her to date him, or whatever the Vulcan equivalent was. He had not told her that her behavior made him uncomfortable. She was young and single, and she loved to dance. There was no shame in going out on a Friday evening to a club.

Perhaps she had had a bit much to drink, but thankfully, Meral was there to take her home. She promised herself to keep the drinks at two from now on, and spaced out...that was, if Meral stayed silent and didn't bring anything up with her.

And then there was the trip to Jamaica...she wondered if the sun-baked tropics would cheer him up, or loosen his tongue, or something. Everything from her first drink on was hazy from last night, but she did remember his smell on her, and his lips, and his grinding. His warm hands had wandered to her breasts, and she could have called him out on that, taking advantage of a drunk woman (even though she was sure she probably started it). This Vulcan needed to make up his mind.

…

Emmie snuck into Meral's room with a grin. "Word around the town says you had a wild night last night." She sat on the bed next to her, bouncing slightly. "The guy who Meral pinched out for you was later picked up for spiking a ladies drink earlier in the evening with a date rape drug, and..." she poked her in the ribs, "L'Vek told me that Meral is distracted and grouchy...which means in Vulcan terms...he's in love."

She bounced slightly on the bed. "So, what happened that you remember?"

She groaned and pinched her nosebridge. "I remember dem warm 'ands, and dem soft lips...dat Vulcan man know how ta kiss betta den all de boys in de world. Is Mister L'Vek like dat too?"

Emmie grinned. "Yes, they are sexy little sprites, aren't they?"

"Little?" Judith said with a raised eyebrow.

Emmie chuckled. "Oh no, not little. Not little at all."

A shock of arousal went through her. "I like dat Vulcan man, Emmie. I wan ta grind wit him again."

"You had sex with him?" Emmie said with a gasp.

"No, No, we juss," she moved her hips and grinned, "an he anyting but little."

"Ok I'm going to give you some advice, take it or leave it." She leaned in. "Pretend you aren't interested for the rest of the day. L'Vek is managing to get us all the trip to Jamaica, but," she pretended to be horrified, "L'Vek and I are going to Vulcan, you and him will be going to Jamaica alone." She winked. "Good deal?"

"Why do I act like I don care for da rest of da day, girl?"

She grinned. "He'll get even more irritated. He'll be forced to step his game up."

"But I already walk dat line wit dis partyin an all...are you sure, Emmie girl?"

She nodded. "I'm sure. He hasn't told you outright that he's attracted to you, or that he wants to be with you?"

"No. I wish he'd get off dat backside an woo a girl, am I right?"

"Most of the wooing comes after you have a base bond with him." She winked, "They are romantic, Judith, and they are passionate...Yours is going to take you provoking him. He loves you Judith, and this isn't going to be like you're used to. They go from zero to light speed, with very little in between."

She kissed her friend's cheek and then took her hands. "You're already halfway there, so don't give up. Iif you want him he's yours...you just gotta let it be his idea." She winked again. "Now I better go, L'Vek is quitting early."

Judith winked in return. "Have fun wit yer man."

…

L'Vek passed Meral on his way out of the office. "You may leave early if you wish, Meral," he said, but his aide shook his head.

"No, Osu, I am working on a report."

"You can work on that report in your quarters."

Meral looked up at him and sighed. "Very well, Osu."

L'Vek nodded in satisfaction, then walked to his quarters, only to find Emmie lounging on the couch, dressed only in her undergarments. His mouth went dry.

"Meskhenet?" he murmured.

L'Vek swallowed thickly as Emmie backed him against a wall and took his hand in hers. "You, _habibi_," she purred, "are in for a long, hard night of lecturing."

…

Meral stopped at his door and straightened his robes. He swallowed hard and then entered his quarters. She was there, freshly showered and smelling lovely. He could smell her pheromones as soon as the door shut. She had liberated a robe of his to change into, and that made him swallow even harder. "I take it you are feeling well now? Would you...do you require anything further as far as nourishment?"

"No," she said casually, flicking open the paper. "All tem engineers, dey be railin at dem Vulcans for not lend no ear, am I right?"

He frowned. "Excuse me?"

"All dem Starfleet engineers. Dey be railin at you and yers for not listenin to dem arguments. Ay?"

She turned her attention back to her paper and scanned the articles, and she found an interesting report on a planned colony on a moon 12 light years away. More news was coming out of Earth drydock regarding plans for the new flagship, and she wondered if she should take Emmie's advice.

Meral cleared his throat. "It is not me they do not listen to, it's L'Vek. I am only L'Vek's aide. And no, they do not listen," he groused. "But I am discovering most humans do not take advice, good advice, given to them."

He grumbled a little under his breath and then approached her, suddenly angry that she was not looking at him. He kept his composure but then put his face between her and the paper. "Are you going to answer my query? Do you wish food?"

"I said no," she murmured, "but tank you, Mister Meral. I'm fine."

She looked up at him, and her heart clenched. She so wanted to kiss him again, to see if it was as wonderful as her drunken mind would believe it to be. But she could save that for Jamaica.

"Are you ready fer de heat o' dem tropics, Mister Vulcan man? Dat trip come soon now."

He paced back and forth; she was still not looking at him. Was she capricious, or did she only desire him when she was drinking? He frowned, but it was more like a pout. "I suppose I should take you home," he said in an almost defeated voice. "And no...I am...not looking forward to this trip."

He said it with a lot less enthusiasm than he had earlier. Now he didn't know if he was looking forward to it or why he was going in the first place. He looked at her and clenched his jaws. Why wasn't she looking at him?

Her heart clenched again. She couldn't do it. She couldn't ignore him.

"Why, Mister Vulcan man, I tink you need dis trip to de tropics. Get heat in dem bones and de love of me mudda country in yer heart, hm?"

He looked offended, but she leaned forward and boldly kissed his cheek. "Now, you come wit I, an we see what de heat and de sound of de reggae do fer us."

She hopped up off of his bed and stroked his arm. "Tank you fer de drink and banana bread, Mister Meral. I should be a-gettin home, so why don you come wit I on de walk to my house?"

He straightened slightly and raised an eyebrow. "If you insist, I will walk you home, since I have seen the type of rabble that roam the streets at this hour of the day. There is no telling what kind of trouble you will get into if I am not by your side."

He looked at her hips and felt himself salivate. "The way you walk is most provocative, even if you are currently clothed in my..." his voice softened, "my robes..."

She dared to lift a finger and bop his nose. "Den let's get to it, Mister Vulcan man," she whispered in his ear. She wanted to lick it, caress it with her tongue, but she closed her eyes and refrained. She looked back at the bed and made sure she had all of her things, then gestured for him to lead the way.

The beat of last night was still in her head, and thanks to his remedies and the restraint she had to not go for a fourth drink, she wasn't in a lot of pain. The light did make her wince when they walked out into the dying light. Had it been a full day? Or close to it?

They did not speak as they walked, but she was grateful for his robes around her. His scent was not as heavy in it, but it was there, she was sure. She wanted to keep it, even as something casual to lounge in, but she supposed he would be wanting it back. The bright orange off-the-shoulder top and short shorts she was wearing beneath the robes certainly clashed with the style of the robes, but the colors, strangely enough, didn't look half bad next to one another.

Meral felt the beast romping in his cage. As she walked in his robes, he could see her hips swaying to some music only she seemed to hear. He wanted to grab her shoulders and pull her to him, kissing her madly right there in the street. He felt a base growl threaten to erupt from his throat and he looked away. He used his discipline to focus on the pace of his steps, and he followed her, since he did not know where she actually lived.

He could not imagine this place of which she spoke, her mother country, as she called it. In the reflection of a store window, he saw her looking at him.

He turned to her. "Is there something you want to say?" he asked as evenly as he could.

She stopped and lightly touched his cheek. "What be makin Mister Vulcan man look da odda way?"

The tips of his ears turned green, and he looked at the ground. "Like dat, Mister Meral."

He shook his head. "It is none of your concern."

She shrugged and caressed his cheek before dropping her hand. "In me mudda country, you be blushin like no odda time. Keep dem eyes on me."

Judith giggled as the blush spread to his cheeks, and she bumped her hips with his. "Look to dat sunshine, Meral, me broda Vulcan! You an I...we find dat sunshine togeda in Jamaica, ay?"

He looked away from her, "You are an insufferable woman." There was no venom in his voice as he mumbled. The truth was that he already found the heat of her motherland, and it was in her eyes.

He saw her approach a door. "Is this your home?"

She grinned and nodded as she walked up the stairs.

He waited at the base of the steps. "I will see you later, Judith."

He blushed, realizing for the first time he was calling her by her first name. He could not wipe the desire for her from behind his eyes, and he was dying inside, hoping she would enter her door so he could return to the consulate and meditate these animal desires away.

She paused, turning slowly, realizing he had used her first name. She grinned and leaned against the doorframe, and she beckoned him forward with her finger.

He ascended the steps, then hesitated, but she gently tugged him inside and shut the door. She lightly pushed him up against it.

"Emmie-girl say you pinch out some good-fer-no-ting man at de club, ay? I tank you fer dat, Meral," she whispered, and she stood on her tiptoes.

Her palms were pressed flat against the door, but she pressed her lips to his cheek, gently, chastely, and pulled away before he could start protesting. She opened the door and gestured for him to exit, her hand on her hip.

"Good day, Mister Meral," she said, patting his shoulder. "De sunshine be callin yer name soon."


	5. The Arrival

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon and maba7x for reviewing!_**

Meral tapped his finger against his thigh in an uncharacteristic state of nervousness. He wasn't sure why, but he had the notion that his life was about to change drastically, if he went on this trip with Judith. His dreams had been wild of late, even though his fever was still five years away, and her name echoed in his nightly visions more times than he could count.

Judith...she always came willingly to him in his dreams, laughing in the face of adversity and showing him a more optimistic outlook on life. The taste of her lips and the feel of her skin still haunted him, and he sighed as he saw her coming towards him. She seemed almost predestined to haunt his steps, hound him until he relented and pursued her in return.

"Good day to be goin' home to de sunshine, eh, Mister Meral?" she said cheerfully as she set her bag down beside him. He nodded mutely, trying not to let his eyes linger on her form. She was also scantily clad in his dreams, silk brushing erotically over her bare skin.

"Don' fret, Meral! Soon we be baskin' in de glow of de sun in Jamaica, ai?"

"Indeed," he said stiffly, glancing behind him, hoping L'Vek and Emmie would get here soon. He glanced down when his PADD beeped, and he glared at the message.

_Board the shuttle with or without us_, L'Vek had instructed, and he sighed, then looked up at Judith.

"We have been told to board with or without L'Vek and his T'Sai," he said, then nodded his head toward the shuttle. Somehow he felt as if he had been set up.

"Oh, come on, Vulcan man! We be 'eaded to the sunshine!" She skipped up the ramp and twirled her hips, dancing to music only she heard in her mind.

Meral tucked his PADD into his pack and folded his hands in front of him, reluctantly boarding the shuttle. He sat down in a seat far away from Judith, his tongue mute, his eyes fixed on the front wall of the shuttle. He fought to keep his bio-controls in line as Judith moved seats to the one next to him. He watched her mocha skin run over the fabric of his robes, just next to his arm.

"We gonna 'ave so much fun Meral, yes we will, bruda Vulcan!" She leaned up and kissed his cheek, clapping her hands as she came to rest again in her seat.

Meral heard his PADD beep again, just as the shuttle doors shut.

_Meshkhenet and I will not be making the shuttle. Have an agreeable trip._

Judith glanced down at her PADD as Meskhenet messaged her. _L'Vek and I are off to Vulcan. Have fun!_

She laughed and looked at Meral. "Ya get de feelin dat dese two set us up, ai?"

He was silent for a moment. "Yes, I did get that notion. Unfortunately, the shuttle will not turn around."

"I am dat bad, eh?" She rolled her eyes. "Jus' wait till you see dat ocean an' dat sky. It be 'eaven on Earth, dat's what I'm talkin about."

He glanced out the window as the city disappeared, and she shook her head, stroking his arm, trying to soothe him. He looked at what she was doing, and she slid her hand down to his and covered his hand with hers.

Meral's eyes widened. "You do realize touching my hand is..." he mentally weighed his words, "...touching a Vulcan's hand is tantamount to caressing any man's erogenous zones." He forced himself to look at her.

She laughed, "I don' be believ'n dat Mister Vulcan. You be 'aving me on!"

He frowned and lifted her hand. He had done this in his dream, only they were among nature, and nude. He caressed her fingers with his, his barriers down so she could feel the erotic tingle that he sent through the pads of his skin. He slid them back up on the soft tan pads of her hand. He started to feel as if he was going to growl as he looked at her unmarked skin. He pulled back and withdrew into his chair.

"Do you understand now, Judith?"

She expected it to be nothing special, but then a pulse of electricity moved up her arm, down her torso and set things deep within her aflame. She gasped and looked around wildly at the other passengers, but none of the three other people on the shuttle were paying attention to them. A woman and her son were seated two rows behind them. The boy was sleeping, and his mother was reading a book. The only other passenger was four rows in front of them, a businessman tapping away at a PADD.

She nodded and quickly crossed her legs. "Don' do dat to me, Mr. Meral. Jus'...not now."

The flight seemed to drag on forever, as she could not find it in herself to talk to him. His gesture had caught her off-guard, and she was more confused than ever. She liked Meral, longed to bring him up out of the dumps and make him happy in any way she could, but the way he was starting to look at her made more...intimate urges come to the forefront of her brain, urges she hadn't dealt with in many years.

Finally, they made their descent, and even as they moved down out of the clouds, she felt her spirits lift, and she led him out of the shuttle, her hips swaying. She turned once the other passengers were out of sight, and she twirled around, laughing in joy. "Welcome to Jamaica, man!" she exclaimed, gesturing him forward with a crooked finger. "Don' dat sunshine feel good now?"

Meral did find the heat a relief. The humidity struck him in the first breath, but the moisture was something he was used to, only much colder in San Fran. Stepping down on the ground, he looked at his surroundings. It looked a bit like Risa.

He watched as Judith come to life, swaying her hips and laughing with careless joy. He thought she was lively before but now it seemed like a spark had been ignited within her very soul.

He had kissed her in the Vulcan way on the shuttle and it silenced her. He found that...fascinating. Was it because she was so stunned by the feel? Or was it perhaps because she was repulsed? She turned and smiled up at him with her arms spread wide.

"Dis be my home land Mister Vulcan man! Dis be where life start!"

He frowned, and he was about to speak when he saw women and men walking by, dressed scantily in nothing more than underwear, it seemed. His eyes widened and he knew if Judith were to parade thusly, it was going to be a long week, and a lot of meditation would be required.

He stood next to her, trying to look at anything other than the now steady parade of people barely dressed, and his eyes found the ocean. He frowned again. "Every place on this planet is watery..." he mumbled, and shouldered his pack. He wanted to turn back around and enter the shuttle again, but somehow he knew if he did, he would only be delaying the issue.

He mustered himself and looked at Judith. "What now?"

"Come to de hotel and den we explore, ai?" She took his wrist and pulled him along, and she noted that he seemed uneasy still. She slid her grip down to his hand and squeezed.

"Come now, me Vulcan, don' be frettin'. Look at dat sun shinin, eh?" She pointed to the burning ball of fire arching across the sky, and she noted that his color looked more vibrant here. He looked more green, but it didn't make her concerned. His blood was green, so Emmie had told her.

She caressed the meat of his thumb, then let go and gestured for him to follow. She grinned, her entire body sparking to life. The weather was so much better than in San Francisco, and she skipped all the way to the hotel, which was right down the causeway from the transport station.

She waited outside Meral's room, the door was lashed together bamboo, giving it the true island feel. She could see his shadow passing back and forth under the door. She put her hands on her hips and giggled. "Come on, Mister Meral! I see you in dere. It be time ta go out and explore da sunshine, ai?"

She knocked on his door and saw his shadow pause. She nodded and whispered, "Come out, come out."

She had a whole host of things for them to do: a river tour, zip lining, and the hidden treasure deep in the island where he could taste the world of her culture all made by the people the same way they'd been doing it for hundreds of years.

Meral was pacing back and forth, trying to gather his thoughts for this upcoming three-day tour with her. Even now, she haunted his steps, chanting to him, taunting him...calling to him. He sighed and straightened his robes.

He opened the door and saw her waiting there, her hair partially covered by a colorful knit cap. He straightened his robes again and waited for her to lead the way, and he followed her back out into the sunshine, pausing by the fountain outside the hotel. There was so much water here, it was making him a bit queasy. But the sunshine did look aesthetically pleasing on the water, and he held out his hand, absorbing a little of the spray.

"Come on, Mister Vulcan man," she called, gesturing him forward. "Come see me mudda country!"

He followed behind her, eventually falling in step with her, glaring irritably at all the scantily-clad humans around him. Did these people have no sense of modesty? It was warm, yes, but his people had figured out a way to keep out heat. Were these humans too childish to figure out a similar way to keep themselves cool without stripping down to their undergarments?

However, the way the humidity hung in the air was making small beads of moisture stick to his skin. It was uncomfortable, but he reminded himself that San Francisco was worse. He did feel much better in the sun, and it did bring him back to life in a way.

Judith stopped at the first small store and tugged him into the door, "Now I know you be hatin what we about to do, but trust me, Mister Vulcan. We need to change out dem clothes. Where we be goin, if you don't want creatures and bugs up in your clothes, you need ta change."

She picked out a wife beater and a pair of cargo shorts. She pressed them into his chest, and then playfully pushed him into the changing room. "Hand me out da robes, dey be delivered and waiting for you back at da 'otel."

"Judith," she heard him growl in protest.

"I be serious, Meral. Der is a reason why we dress de way we do. You'd be fill of chiggers before you knew! Go on now, I am pay'n."

She grinned and leaned against one of the racks. She knew she was being naughty; there weren't too many terrible things lingering where she was going to take him, but she wanted to get a look at what was hidden under all of those repressive fabrics. Plus, it was her experience that the best way to make someone go native was dress them like the natives.

"Giant spiders and ticks as big as ya fist, Mister Vulcan," she muttered low enough no one else could hear, but he could.

The moment she saw the first layer of his clothes flip across the door she took them. She lifted the fabric to her nose, taking a long slow smell. She purred softly, loving the spicy scent on his collar.

He heard her make a noise of appreciation, and he wasn't sure what she was so appreciative of. It made him warm just thinking about it. He pulled off the second layer and tossed it over the door, and she took it. He listened closely, and he heard her take a long sniff of his clothes. He frowned, his ears getting hot, his fingertips tingling. She emitted a low moan of longing, or so it sounded, and he shivered, slipping out of his pants.

He tossed them over the door and suddenly smelled a lovely scent, something warm and inviting, and it was coming from the other side of the door. He wondered if someone was passing with cinnamon in their bag, because that was the closest scent he could ascribe to the aroma tickling his nose.

Meral pulled the tank top over his head and pulled it down, then slipped into the cargo pants she had tossed over the door. He looked at himself in the mirror and thought he looked absolutely ridiculous, but he had to show Judith.

He opened the door and let her see, folding his hands stiffly behind his back. She was silent, her lips parting slightly, and he watched her eyes as they roamed over his body. They lingered on his broad shoulders and chest, on his abdomen, on his arms and legs.

"Well, Ms. Keeler? Is this acceptable?"

She blinked a couple times, and then grinned. "One more ting, Mister Vulcan." She pulled out a pair of masculine sandals. "You change into dese, Mister Vulcan. I already pay fo everyting."

Her grin widened, and she watched as he bent over to change his shoes. She licked her lips, finally getting to see a bit of what those Vulcan men kept hidden. She couldn't resist the temptation anymore, so she ran her hand over his bare arm.

"Now don't dis feel betta?" she said in a sing song way, not really caring if it was better for him, it was better for her. She took his shoes handing them to the man behind the counter. "Room tree-oh-two," she said, sliding her credit chip across the counter to be processed.

She smiled at him again as she waved him forward. "Oh, Mister vulcan man, I 'ave to say...you look like one sexy beast in dem new threads. Now you be a part of the good looking scenery every body come to see."

They left the store after the shopkeeper handed her the credit chip. "Now you ready to 'ave an adventure?" she batted her eyes at him as she gently tugged him along.

An electrifying tingle ran through him as she stroked her hand down his slightly hairy arm, and he frowned at her, suppressing a shiver. She had called him a beast...and she meant it as a compliment. The tips of his ears felt warm, and he even felt his cheeks flush. She linked arms with him and pulled him down the street, and whether he was ready for an adventure or not, he was going with her.

She kept shooting approving glances at him, and he sighed, stiffening his posture. He didn't want to be put on display like this, and he noticed more people were staring at him. Most of their expressions did not change until they saw his ears, and then they did a double take. He didn't care that the glances were approving, he just wanted to be out of the public eye.

She took him to an island transport and shoved him on, and he took a seat, silently cursing L'Vek for sending him to this place.


	6. The Transformation

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you very much to Fameanon and Ahlysha for reviewing._**

Judith took control of the transport and headed out down the old 20th century roads. "I tink you gonna love dis Mister Meral," she said with a grin.

She drove deep into the wild jungle area of the island, it only took thirty minutes for them to lose sight of all signs of civilization. She pulled off the actual road down a small dirt path until they could go no further. She turned off the transport and slid off the seat.

"I used to come 'ere all da time, if dis don' be turning that frown aroun', den I don't be knowin' what might." She paused and leaned in. "And nobody be lookin' at you but me."

She guided him deep into the lush paradise, pointing out the beautiful flora as she went; the colors of the flowers were in every imaginable hue, and the vines and leaves were a bright, vibrant shade of green. When the path sloped upward, she took his hand.

"Close yer eyes, Mista Vulcan. Dis I want you to see for da first time all at once."

She led him slowly through the jungle, quietly guiding him over exposed roots and around rocks, all the while keeping a tight grip on his hand. His flesh was warm and dry, though she could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She supposed he wasn't used to humidity, but his color was still better than ever before.

They finally made it into the clearing after thirty minutes of walking, and she stopped.

"Open yer eyes Mista vulcan, we be in da beauty now."

He slowly opened his eyes, and his breath caught in his throat. There was nothing like this on Vulcan, nothing like a cascade of water falling into a lush valley of one hundred different shades of green, with the most beautiful colored flowers climbing up trees that seemed to touch the azure sky above their heads.

"This is...very aesthetically pleasing," he whispered, gazing at the waterfall. Twin rainbows arched across the roaring cascade, echoing the spectrum of color in the canopy above their heads.

Something about being out here in the middle of nowhere, no people, no signs of civilization, was immensely relaxing. He felt his body posture shift and relax, and his expression relaxed.

"The orange flowers there..." He pointed them out to her. He had a sudden idea, and he strode forward, careful to avoid any roots or fallen branches as he headed for a tree with flowers blooming at head height. He picked one, then walked back to her and tucked the flower behind her ear (after inspecting it for any insects).

"...are very aesthetically pleasing when placed against your skin," he finished, admiring the way the orange blossom complemented her mocha skin and her short, spiky hairdo.

Her eyes sparkled, "Dat's da sweetest ting evah, Mister Vulcan," Judith said with a grin, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

She gently took his hand. "Come wit me," she murmured, her voice trembling with excitement. "Dis just da start."

She shouldered a small pack and lead him to a pole with rungs drilled into it. "You follow me. We gonna go down into the valley da way my people did."

Scaling the pole, she waited a few moments for him to get to the top, where there rested a small platform and rigging equipment. She pointed out into the thick canopy. "We will land ova dere near da waterfall."

She grabbed a rope with a T-shaped handle at its end. "You hold one side, I hold de odder...Dis called a zip line, it's a slow leisurely one, not da fast ones tourists go to. It will give you a full view of da valley. When it stop, den we gonna be where we at for today."

She grinned and helped him him into the T, lashing him and her with a safety harness. "On on the count of tree. One...two...tree." She leaned forward, stepping off the edge of the small platform.

The gravity slowly guided them through the air, the zipline angling downward toward the waterfall, and the cool spray hit them as they passed through what would be one of the rainbows they had seen from the ground.

"I can see why your culture is so rife with mythos and magic, illogical things...here...it is not so hard to believe."

He sighed, this time in strange contentment that was flooding his body. He gazed out over the valley, admiring the colors that sprawled over the ground below. It was an amazing place, like nothing he had ever seen. He was a child of the desert, and San Francisco, while it had plenty of trees, did not have astounding views like this.

She giggled, bringing his attention back to her. "Don' tell me Mister Meral believe in magic."

"I do not," he insisted, narrowing his eyes. But he smirked slightly. "But I do believe in beauty. I see I have been stationed in the wrong part of your planet. You were fortunate to be born in such a place as this. San Francisco must bore you."

Judith gently put her feet down to stop their momentum. She got off and then helped him out of the harness.

"No, Mister Meral, der be beauty enough in San Francisco. You jus hafta look for it. You neva gonna see what it have to offa if you only go tree blocks round da Consulate, ai."

She turned him around so he could see the canopy, and when she clapped her hands three times, an explosion of colorful birds scattered into the air. She smiled, watching them fly around and then land back into the hidden green. "Every place beautiful in its own way, jus like everybody beautiful in der own way."

She moved her pack off her shoulder and pulled a small blanket from it, spreading it on a piece of flat ground. "Now, I didn't bring food. But you seem da type of man dat be ok with finding food. All around us is fruits and tings we can eat." She smiled up at him.

"No worries about meat, jus fruits and veggies ai, natural tings. When you get hungry we will go forage. And just ova dat rock...be a 'ot spring, if you wanna get daring and soak in da watta...I can teach you some swimm'n too."

She pointed at a small calm pool being fed by one of the smaller parts of the waterfall. "Da day be yours, Mister Meral and what you want to do, we do."

She brushed her hand over his shoulder. "I already be seein' you relax, and dat look betta on you dan any robes you wear."

Something in the humid air, the wind in the upper eaves, the dappled light, the colors and fresh smell of being outdoors, was making him feel bolder than usual. He raised his fingers and stroked them down her cheek, slowly, savoring the feel of her soft flesh beneath the pads of his fingers. "I haven't been looking very hard for beauty, have I?" he said quietly, reaching her chin. He gently cupped it. "It is a good thing I have you then, to help me see things from a different perspective."

He leaned a little closer and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her neck. "I would be agreeable to learning to swim."

She grinned. "All right, Mister Vulcan man. I don' know what you be drinkin', but I like da way it make you act now."

Judith instructed him to strip down to whatever he was comfortable getting wet in, and she stripped down to her underwear. He felt his face get warm as his eyes lingered on her supple curves, the clear expanses of her mocha skin. His fingertips were tingling now, and they were not deterred by the cool water.

Her eyes went directly to the small loin cloth that hardly covered what her Vulcan man was packing. She gasped, and that primal feeling that she had in the transport when he touched her fingers rose from the ashes. Her smile brightened. "I 'ave to tell you Mister Meral...you be one sexy man, top to bottom, ai." S

he nodded and held her hand out to him to help him get into the pool of water. "I believe in beauty too, Mister Meral...and you be beautiful," she said boldly.

She lead him out a bit so the water was up to his navel, and she swallowed hard as the loin cloth floated. Her eyes shot up to his so she wouldn't purposely see his manhood. She wanted to look, and even as free a spirit as she was, she couldn't bring herself to steal a look see at him just yet.

He pinched his nose and dunked himself into the water as she instructed, and when he came up, the surrounding air stung his skin. He shook the water out of his eyes like a dog shaking off the rain, and he looked to her for instruction.

"First, you learn de dead man's float, ai."

She demonstrated, laying flat on her back in the water, and the pool supported her weight. She righted herself and helped him lean back, and she placed a warm hand on his lower back to help him float. He could feel waves of curiosity and anticipation of something, but he dared not explore what she was anticipating. That would be an invasion of her privacy.

She removed her hand, and he stiffened, thinking for a moment that he would sink, but he stayed afloat, only sinking a little. He gazed up at the patches of clear sky above the canopy of leaves, and he relaxed, allowing the water to hold him up. This was very relaxing, surprisingly so.

She watched him float, grinning she kept her eyes on his face and chest. His age and worry seemed to melt from him, and she loved that. She gently instructed him on how to right himself in the water so he could stand again. She had him wrap his arms around her neck and she took him out to a bit deeper section. She showed him how to tread water, and then how to doggie paddle toward the shallow water, and she grinned as he made it to her.

"You be a natural Mister Meral," she sighed softly. "Dat be enough for today, but we don' be done wit da watta. Dis I tink you really gonna like."

She looked up at the sky. "Da sun be in a perfect place too." She helped him up out of the cold water and lead him to the hot spring.

"Dis be betta suited to your need. Mista Meral. Dat colda watta take it out of you, but dis...it put it right back." She stepped down into the bubbling spring and gasped in pleasure. "No ting feel better on sore or tired muscles dan watta heated from da earth's love."

"We have springs on Vulcan," he commented, slipping in beside her. The warm water felt heavenly, and he leaned back, at ease at last. There was nothing to worry about here, nothing to bother him. He closed his eyes and began a mantra, and it came easily to him. He smirked slightly, turning his head to her.

"But the springs are not nearly as lovely as these. Even more so because they are hidden and private."

He slipped a little closer to her and pulled a reed out of her hair, casting it aside. He stared at her, contemplating her like the nature around him. She was dressed in so little, and he in less, and he saw her eyes were drifting to his chest more often than not. He wondered what was drawing her attention, though he saw no disgust behind her eyes. She seemed as content as he, and he felt emboldened again as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"You are correct in that they relax muscles," he said, leaning back and closing his eyes, feeling more peaceful than ever. He made sure his chest was above the water so she could stare at it all she wanted.

Judith saw he was shifting in the water so as to show his chest, and it made her want to purr. He was a striking man, and with his face relaxed he looked even more handsome than before. "I show you someting, someting dat we native people to the island know a long, long time. It be good medicine."

She moved over to the side of the spring and gathered up some of the thick clay mud. She moved over to him and settled beside him. "Der be minerals and salts in da watta dat make de clay healing. Let me show you."

Judith placed the clay on a rock at his side. "Close your eyes, Mister Meral, dis be da icing on da cake."

She waited for him to close his eyes, and slowly spread the clay on his face. With a gentle and delicate touch she ran her fingers over his high cheekbones, over his jaw line, down his neck, and shoulders. "We let dis dry, it 'elp with all your muscles, aches and pain you did not even know you carry."

It was the truth the clay was known for it's healing, but Judith smirked she was being a little healed just by being able to touch his untouchable self. His skin was smooth, his muscles firm, his body she could imagine laying next to on a cool night, like having sunshine in her bed.

Meral raised an eyebrow, then relaxed. He knew there were similar treatments done on Vulcan, but he never had them done. He relaxed back into the rock, trying not to tense from her touch. Her fingers were delicate and her touch careful, and she went all the way down to his shoulders with the mud; her fingers stroking down his neck was hard to take.

He sat there in silence for several minutes, letting the mud dry, and then she pulled him onto the lip of the spring and washed it off of him. He relaxed fully, no worry on his face, and he dared lift his fingers and stroke them down her neck. "Shall I do the same to you?"

She nodded. "Sure ting, Mister Meral."

He found some of the mud she had used and directed her to lie back, and he spread the mud over her face, neck and shoulders. Her body, as he remembered, was pliant and soft, and he could easily imagine himself holding her during the night, his chest pressed to her back, or her head lying on his chest. He tickled what sensitive nerves he could find on her neck as he spread the mud, and she shifted, a grin lifting the corners of her mouth.

"Mister Meral, you be missin' your calling. You ought to be a massage therapist with tenda finger like dat. I could let you do dis all day long."

She made a nondescript noise of contentment and relaxed into the water. She wanted to open her eyes and see what kind of look he had on his face, and her curiosity was getting the best of her, but she resisted it, not wanting to spoil the mood or any fun he might be having.

She let him pick her up and take her to the edge of the spring. The feel of his fingers so soft against her skin was sensational, and erotic in ways she didn't quite understand. She remembered his electric touch, the way he had made her thighs thrum with want, and she wondered briefly what that might feel like on her neck.

When she opened her eyes it was like a new man standing before her. She slid next to him and hugged him, making sure not to compromise both their propriety by pressing her hips to his loin cloth. Then she laid her head on his broad chest.

"See 'ere, Mister Vulcan? Us humans..dey not so bad eh?"

She carefully pulled back and smiled warmly up at him, delighted that his expression was still relaxed. "You ready to get a bite to eat, ai?" As she gazed into his bright blue eyes, she was very tempted to press her lips to his, but the shell of this coconut had only just begun to crack. She wasn't going to push it further.

He smirked. "No, not yet," he murmured, then dragged her back into the spring. He had her lie on her stomach and fold her arms on the edge of the spring, and he gently slid in behind her. He began at the top of her spine, drawing tiny circles in her skin, spreading out, then moving back towards her spine. After he got about to the level of her armpit, he positioned his fingers back at the top of her spine.

"This may hurt a little," he warned, "but it is worth the payoff."

He pressed in hard, and she gasped, but still he held his fingers there for ten seconds. He released her, and she relaxed. He continued drawing circles further down her back, alternating gentle pressure with neuropressure, until she was draping herself over the edge of the spring, her hand lazily trailing along the lush grasses. He could feel through her skin how content she was, and it pleased him. He had never made anyone else so content before in his life.

"Oh, Mister Meral," she whispered. "Neva been so relaxed in my life."

Her eyelids drooped contentedly, and her head lulled to the side. She could see the shadow of him moving beside her, and she felt his legs brush hers. "Dis is 'eaven, Mister Vulcan, and you be an angel."

She turned her head and closed her eyes completely. "I could take a nap...neva been so relaxed. You have only yerself to blame for dis, Mister Meral."

He gently took her in his arms and laid her head on his chest, and she drifted off to sleep, soaking in the warmth of the sun and the sweet flower perfumed breeze on the air. She looked him in the eyes, her gaze lazy and contented. She made sure his arm was still around her before nuzzling into this new Meral's chest and falling fast asleep.


	7. The Field

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, Ahlysha, and 2redbird for reviewing!_**

Meral awoke to the sound of birdsong, and the light around them was dim. The sun had fallen beneath the canopy, filling the jungle below with soft, ruddy light. The tops of the trees seemed to glow in the light of the dying sun, and he sighed in contentment, closing his eyes again.

Judith's breath was ghosting across his bare chest, and he raised his eyebrows, finding unchaste pleasure in that sensation. She mumbled something in her sleep, shifting ever so slightly, but then she fell back into drowsy doze, her soft, even exhalations making goosebumps crawl up his arms.

"Judith," he said softly, stroking her hair. She did not stir.

"Judith," he repeated a little louder, and she opened her eyes.

She blinked several times, groaning slightly, and he felt her foot brush down his leg as she stretched. He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to thread his fingers through her hair, but she had no such qualms. She stroked a lazy finger down his chest, caressing his pectoral muscles as she continued stretching.

She pushed up off of him and raised her arms above her head, and he sat up as well, rolling his shoulders to shake off sleep. She smiled at him as she put her arms down, and he stood, offering her his hand. She took it, her smile widening, and he hauled her to his feet, trying not to stare at the water dripping off her splendid form.

He reminded himself that he wasn't supposed to be attracted in any way to this woman, but it was no use. He could not turn back now, not after he had shown his softer side, and especially not after she had warmed up to him.

"You must be hungry," he said, pulling his shorts back on. "What is available in the vicinity?"

"Der," she said, pointing towards a flowering vine. "De passionfruit, Mister Vulcan man. Come, de natives don mind a few missin fruit, ai?"

"They should not," he conceded. "But tell me, what does it taste like?"

She grinned and plucked a fruit from the vine, then retrieved a camping knife from her pack. She sliced the fruit open and handed him half, and he took it, staring at the yellow gel inside.

"I know dat look disgustin', but it taste good, man."

She took a spoon out of her pack and handed it to him, and he scooped out some of the yellow goo and ate it. He raised an eyebrow, surprised at the taste, but a bright yellow spot in the canopy caught his attention.

"Those yellow plants there," he said, gesturing to the bright yellow blob. "Are those edible?"

"De banana? Ai, man, tasty fruit der."

He nodded and tossed the empty passionfruit shell away, then took the knife from her and found a low-hanging bunch of the fruit. He cut away a few of the fingers, leaving more than twenty behind, and he took them back to Judith.

"Are these ripe, though?"

"Ripe enough, Mister Vulcan." She took one from him and peeled it, and he was surprised to find firm, cream-colored fruit beneath the peel. He followed suit with another banana.

He watched her eat as he consumed his fruit, and he couldn't help but notice that her bright brown eyes strayed often to him, their amber depths darkening, clouding. He frowned slightly, curious as to why her eyes were getting so dark as she looked at him, but he dared not dwell on the answer.

He swallowed thickly, his gaze lingering on the way her lips wrapped around...

He cut off his thoughts and looked down at the ground, his ears and cheeks flushing with shame. He should not be having those thoughts about her...not until she promised herself to him. If she promised herself to him...

Meral finished his fruit without really thinking about what he was doing, and he gestured for her to lead the way. They would have to go eastward along the river, and downstream was a bridge that would take them directly below the dirt road they had followed earlier.

Their walk was less leisurely than he might have liked, but considering they only had perhaps two hours before the sun went down, they could not linger in the wilds too long. He was confident he could protect her from most wildlife out here, but he didn't want to take his chances. It was best to get back to civilization, and perhaps have a proper dinner.

Something moved in the corner of his eye, and he turned to look at it. It was a bright orange amphibian, and he pointed it out to her.

"Tree frog," she named it, and he raised an eyebrow. Without further ado, he stepped off the path and walked closer to the creature. It hopped away.

"Mister Meral, we don be leavin de path, eh?"

"This will not take long," he assured her. "I am curious about this creature. We do not have tree frogs on Vulcan. There are very few trees, and not nearly enough moisture for them to thrive in the desert environment."

"All ri', man, but not long, eh? Dat storm dere...blowin' in from de sea..."

"We will be sheltered by the time it hits the mainland," he said gently, hiking deeper into the foliage. The bright orange frog was quick and hurried away, but he followed until they had lost sight of the path. He knew exactly which way to go in order to find it again, but he wanted to see if she trusted him.

"Meral..."

"I am aware of it, Judith. We have lost sight of the path."

She frowned. "Meral, I know you be dat calm man no matta what de day tro at ya, man, an' I not be frettin an' all, but..." She looked around, her visage nervous.

He led her onward, angling slightly towards the path, but letting them seem even more lost than before. He did not mean to scare her, but she was getting a little nervous.

"Is that it?" he asked, pointing to a log that looked similar to the path. She shook her head and sighed, sitting down on a log.

"Perhaps you will have to live out here with me for the rest of our days."

"Dat not be so bad, Mr. Meral. Der be sweetness in dis place, ai? And dat beauty you like."

"Yes, there is plenty of beauty out here to contemplate." He swallowed thickly and stared at her, making his choice. "She walks in beauty, like the night/ Of cloudless climes and starry skies/ And all that's best of dark and bright/ Meet in her aspect and her eyes..."

He reached out and cupped her cheek. "Plenty of beauty to contemplate, Judith," he repeated, his voice lowering and deepening.

"Mister Meral," she breathed, reaching up and lightly touching the back of his hand, sandwiching his hand between hers and her cheek. "Dat poem...de Lord Byron, eh?"

"Indeed. I had to study a selection of your literature in order to get this posting. Basic mastery of the English language and some knowledge of your culture was required."

He smirked down at her as her lips parted, and he took advantage of the opportunity, swiping his thumb unguarded over her lower lip. Her eyes fluttered closed, and he felt a purr build in the back of his throat.

"If you and I never saw civilization again, would you be content?"

"I like dem hot showers, Meral..."

"Yes, sanitation and access to clean water are advantages...do you ever consider marriage, Judith?"

She opened her eyes and stared intently at him, a smile growing on her lips. "Depend on de man I marry."

He stroked her lip again, and she leaned into his touch. She was sober, in control of her thought processes...and she was enjoying his touch.

"The path is that way, Judith," he said softly, nodding in the correct direction. She frowned, and then her eyes widened in indignation. She smacked his arm.

"You _knew_ de path be dat way, din' ya, Mister Vulcan man! And 'ere I tink to myself dat we be doom to jungle food, an' Mister L'Vek and Emmie-girl be worryin'..."

"Did you truly think I would allow us to get lost?" he asked, leading her back to the path. It was barely one hundred yards away.

"I worry dere for a moment...or two, or tree..."

"I assure you, my disciplines lend me an acute sense of direction. We were never lost."

They walked along, her eyes narrowed playfully at him when she threw glances in his direction. He continued to let her lead, walking side by side with her, and a sudden change of scenery distracted him from her indignation.

They had been walking for perhaps fifteen minutes, leaving the jungle behind, and ever the sounds of the river were on their left. But it fell away for a while, and instead of rolling hills on either side of them, they wandered into what looked like an overgrown field. Thick green stalks rose high above their heads, and he turned to Judith, curious again.

"Suga cane," she replied before he could ask. "Dis used to be plantation land."

He nodded in comprehension and gazed up at the stalks around him, and he noted a side path off to the left. He pulled her towards it, noticing a pleasant vista up ahead.

She fell behind him for a second, stooping to the ground, but he paid her little mind, thinking she was probably picking up an interesting stone or perhaps an old coin. But he turned abruptly towards her when he felt a sharp sting of pain across his rear.

She was holding a sugar cane stick behind her back, staring up at the darkening sky with an unconvincingly innocent smile on her face.

"You insufferable...intolerable human..."

He ripped the stick from her hands and whacked her on her hind end in retaliation, and she yelped.

"What ya be doin dat for, Mister-"

He sealed his lips over hers, effectively silencing her, and she protested weakly into his mouth for a few moments before groaning and melting into him. He stroked her back with tenderness that sharply contrasted the passionate work of his lips. She tasted like banana and passionfruit, and with every taste of her sweet lips, he wanted to taste more.

His katra was vibrating violently within his chest, soaring, echoing her name throughout his being. _Judith_. He trembled, deepening the kiss, stroking his hands down her arms. _My sweetest Judith..._

She sighed into his ministrations, making a small noise that made him shiver again. She teased him, brushing her tongue along his lower lip, coaxing a satisfied groan from his throat. The hunger he didn't even know he was suppressing roiled within him, and her eager response only whetted his appetite. The kiss slowed and became still more intimate, until their tongues were battling in a sensual dual.

Meral pulled away, allowing her to breathe for a moment, and he trailed his lips along her jawline.

"Oh, Mister Meral...I din' know de Vulcan man who be frownin' and frettin' could kiss his girl like dat..."

He covered her mouth again, then slowly pulled back. "Are you saying you are mine, Judith? Do not say what you do not mean. And I do not, as you say, fret."

She giggled and pressed her lips to his one more time. "Who say I be lyin, man? You be de sunshine in my heart, love, and I be de sunshine in yers, ai? Everyting be so beautiful when my Meral come aroun' for my company. An' if I ain' yer girl, I don' be lettin ya kiss me hot like de sauna."

His grip on her tightened. "So you are saying that you are mine?"

"Ai, Meral, my love. I be yers."

His breathing quickened, and he felt like he could howl in victory. He pressed his lips fiercely to hers, coaxing her tongue to play with his. She giggled into his mouth, cupping his cheek, and he closed his eyes, relishing this moment.

_My Judith...my dearest, sweetest Judith..._

A crack of thunder and a few drops of rain made him pull away, and he glanced up at the gathering dark. "Perhaps we should retreat to the vehicle we came in?"

She grinned and took his hand, and together they ran to the transport. By the time they arrived, they were both wet, but he felt more alive than he had perhaps ever felt. His blood was pounding in his ears, and as she started up the vehicle, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side.

Judith looked up at him, her gaze softening, and she brushed her lips against his. He purred, nuzzling against her for more, like a _sehlat_ begging for attention. Their next kiss was softer, gentler, and the little noises she made were muffled beneath the sound of the rain thundering on the roof of the vehicle. He was cold, dripping wet, but kissing her made him feel like a fire was spreading through his veins._ My Judith..._

She pulled away, and he let her go, though reluctantly. But his human _ashaya_ grinned widely at him and raised the vehicle into the air, making sure to keep low to the road as to not attract lightning.

"De cold be seepin into dem bones, Meral?"

"No," he said with a smirk. "You have driven the cold away."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and sniffed her hair, closing his eyes at the wonderful way her scent drenched his olfactory system. _Judith...yes, this is what I have been searching for. This is right._


	8. The Recall

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon and gkell for reviewing._**

Judith was silent all the way back to civilization. She wondered privately if Meral would revert to his usual self once among people, and although he was quieter than he had been, he seemed much more relaxed, at home with himself, comfortable even. It made her smile, and she leaned against him as the autopilot let them soar through Kingston.

He caressed her hip as they neared their destination, returning her physical affection without complaint or comment. She closed her eyes, a part of her wishing this shuttle ride would go on forever. But the loud thunder that rumbled in the atmosphere was making her jittery, along with the frequent bursts of lightning. The streets were emptier than usual, as most of the residents of the city were taking refuge inside.

They parked underneath the bamboo awning of the hotel and hurried to the door, and she hastily locked the vehicle as they got under cover. Another rumble of thunder made her draw closer to Meral, but he almost looked amused with her as he opened the door and led her past the fountain.

In the back of the lobby was a restaurant, and she glanced down at her growling stomach.

"You are hungry?" Meral asked lightly, something like mischief gleaming in his eyes. She nodded.

"Ai. I be starvin, love."

He looked as if he were about to smile, then led her to the establishment. The place was slightly crowded, though not nearly as noisy as she thought it might be. It was dark, lit by hanging lanterns and candles, and they were led to a table in a secluded niche, behind a tropical potted plant.

"What would you like to drink?" he asked her, his voice calm and collected as he pondered the menu.

"Water be fine, Mister Meral."

Thus commenced one of the most enjoyable evenings she had ever had, and that was saying something. She considered herself a cheerful person, but Meral was hiding dry wit and mischief that she found enthralling. Too soon dessert was on the table, and she held up a spoonful of the vanilla bean ice cream for him to try. He obliged her.

"I can smell cinnamon," he murmured, examining the white creamy concoction.

"Ai, dat be de flavoring," she replied with a grin. She leaned forward. "Does dat cinnamon entrance you, Mister Meral?"

"Indeed," he said, his voice deepening, making her shiver. She paused, contemplating the sharp lines of his face, the blue of his eyes. He had made her forget the raging storm outside (which appeared to be worsening), and she sighed, taking a bite of the ice cream. She would have complimented the chef for the intense flavor of the stuff, but she was silent, and for the first time in ages, she wasn't looking forward to sleeping alone tonight.

"Something is troubling you."

She glanced up at him. "De storm..."

"It cannot harm you, not in here. As an engineer, I have researched your infrastructure, and it is sound. Even if this were a hurricane, we would be safe. The windows and walls are too strong to be shattered by debris, or leak from rising waters. We are safe."

She offered him a wan smile. "Still..."

The bill came, and he paid for the meal, leaving the half-eaten ice cream behind. "Come, Judith."

He led her back up to his room, and he locked the door behind him, taking her hand and leading her to the window. Down below, she could see several branches down on the street, the gutters like raging rivers, and even an umbrella, tugged along relentlessly by the strong gale.

A crack of thunder, like a cannon, echoed through the sky with a resounding boom, shaking the window ever so slightly. She squealed and (acting on instinct) clung to him, burying her head in his chest.

He reached up and unbuttoned his shirt, and she moved her cheek so he could take it off. Then she laid her head back down on his bare flesh, comforted by the warmth.

"Judith," he cooed, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "I am here...there is no cause for your fear."

She mumbled something unintelligible, slowly forgetting the storm again, and she lightly kissed his chest, on his pectoral, halfway between his shoulder and his nipple. He groaned.

"_Ashaya_," he whispered, his hand knotting into her hair. She raised her head and looked him in the eye, and noted they were dark, black wells of some unreadable emotion, haloed thinly in blue.

"Ya gettin hot for me, love?" she teased, massaging his chest. He growled.

"I find myself wishing to engage in sexual relations with you, Judith," he answered, his gaze hardening, darkening still. "Will you deny me?"

"Neva, sweet!" she said in reply, standing on tiptoe so she could kiss his lips. Their kiss was full and lustful, their unspoken passions flaring back to life. Several minutes of heaven passed in a hazy blur, her senses clouded by pleasure and his heat and the amazement that she was kissing Meral, and he was kissing her, almost as if this was their last day together on Earth and he would never see her again.

"My Judith," he purred, drawing her even closer to his warm, muscled body. She giggled, pressing herself eagerly to him.

"I have been a gentleman thus far," he said, pressing back. "I could easily forget my manners and all my logic, and take you as a mate. Do you wish this, Judith?"

"I wan' dis Vulcan man to love on his girl."

"Very well," he whispered into her neck, clamping his lips over her dark flesh. "I will see to it that you are satisfied, _ashal-veh_."

He pushed her up against the wall and worked at her neck, kissing and caressing her, his warm hands brushing up and down her body. A shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the storm, and she sighed, rearing her head back. He took the opportunity to plant a chaste kiss on her throat, and then he nipped savagely at her collarbone, his fingers deftly undoing the clasps of her shirt.

"Do you wish to turn back? I will mark you soon, if we continue..."

"Mark?" she repeated, too lost in the sensations to really think about what he was saying.

"I will mark you as mine, and mine alone," he purred, and as if to prove his point, his teeth clamped down so hard on her neck hard enough to break flesh, but he counteracted the pain with some sort of magic with his fingers, which were currently tracing a circle around her navel. That act alone made her feel hot and ready, and the bite made her feel even hotter. She gasped, then groaned.

"Dat be voodoo magic, Meral?" she teased, her voice barely more than a whisper, her knees becoming weak. "I be lost in de sea a' love and ya comin' wit me, Mister Vulcan man..."

"No, Judith, not voodoo magic," he murmured, and she thought she heard him chuckle. He sucked at the mark he had made on her shoulder, and she watched, helpless to his whims, longing for even more intimate touch on his part. He swept her up into his arms and tossed her easily onto the bed, and he relieved her of her pants and underwear. It seemed she was going to get her wish.

"Meral," she murmured, sitting up. She placed a hand on his shoulder, caressing his flesh, and he paused, looking up at her with dark eyes. She was taken aback at the passion and hunger within his gaze, but she leaned forward with a wicked smile, her nails digging into his skin.

"Der be more dan one way to do dis, ai? Let me show you..."

He looked surprised when she laid him down with his head near her lap, but she moved so she was kneeling and crawled down his body. He growled, his fingers flexing as he gripped her hips.

"Keep dem hips on dat bed, love," she instructed, looking between her legs at him, her gaze still lascivious and lustful. "We ride dem waves together...now..."

She dipped her head, tearing away the cloth that stood in her way, and she gave him a thorough education in alternate human intimacy.

…

"I would have never thought to do something like that before," he murmured, stroking his fingers lazily down her back. Her eyes were drooping, as it was late, and the severe storm had blown itself out. It was still raining, but it was no worse than the usual rains in San Francisco. "That was...invigorating."

She murmured something, apparently agreeing with him, and she burrowed deeper into the blankets, nuzzling his chest with her nose as she did so. He glanced down at her again, amazed at the fact that she was in his arms at all. He had never experienced such carnal satisfaction, such connection to another being before.

He hadn't even noted the tension plaguing his body until he felt it rushing out of him in a burst of sweet release and warmth. Her taste still lingered on his lips, saccharine, decadent; he licked his lips to taste it again and closed his eyes. Her breath was ghosting across his flesh again, and he thought privately to himself that he would never tire of that sensation, nor of the pleasure in giving her pleasure. She had been quite vocal (as vocal as she could be, considering the circumstances) about her pleasure, and it pleased him greatly. His _katra_ was humming in satisfaction, sated for the moment, but still intent on winning her fully.

But that would have to wait until morning. Intimacy with her was strangely soothing to the point of making sleep come swiftly, gently and lovingly wrapping itself around his synapses. He sighed into it, holding her a little closer, and then he gave himself over to the darkness.

…

His PADD woke him, and he quickly blinked away sleep, glancing at the time. It was 0300 in this time zone, meaning it was earlier in San Francisco. He frowned in confusion, his gaze skimming over the message.

Osu Soval required his presence immediately in San Francisco, and Meral knew he was obligated to go as soon as possible. He would be there by dawn, since the ambassador was sending a shuttle to retrieve him.

He looked back at Judith, disagreeable to cutting their time together short, and just when they were coming to a mutual understanding. He slipped back under the covers and held her close, knowing he would see her again soon in San Francisco. Perhaps they could revisit that park they went to a few weeks ago...perhaps she could show him the beauty of that city, and teach him how she always looked on the bright side of life.

He sighed and kissed her gently on the temple. "Until we meet again, _k'diwa_," he whispered to her, then slipped out of bed and got dressed.

…

Dawn was cold and gray as he walked up the steps to the Consulate, feeling the chill more keenly now that Judith was not with him. But the thought of reuniting with her later warmed him, and he relaxed his expression and his posture as he strolled through the halls up to Soval's office.

The wooden double doors were closed, and Sorak was waiting outside, glancing over a report as he sipped tea. The man glanced up, then frowned slightly in confusion.

"Good morning, Meral. Osu has good news for you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Of what nature?"

"Your employment here on Earth. Osu will explain the details. He's waiting for you."

Meral walked into the office, even more confused than before. Soval was standing at the window, watching the dismal gray light spread over the city and the Bay. He was sipping tea, his free hand folded casually behind his back.

"Osu," Meral greeted, and Soval bid him take a seat across from him as he sat at his desk. He picked up a PADD and scanned it, and the engineer took a seat as instructed.

"I have news I'm sure you'll find agreeable," the ambassador said, handing him the PADD. "You've been recalled to Vulcan. I recommended you to the engineering advisory board at the Institute of Engineering in Shi'Kahr. I'm sure you'll find the assignment more to your tastes."

His eyes widened. "Osu?"

"You're being recalled, Meral. You leave by noon today, if you pack your things in a timely manner. Your work has already been filed away with L'Vek so he may view it when he returns. Everything is in order for you to leave today. Simply sign the form and I will do the rest."

Meral shook his head. "Osu, I do not wish to leave."

The ambassador raised an eyebrow. "You continually expressed disdain for this planet and its people. L'Vek reported that you were...displeased with your assignment here. I took the appropriate actions."

"Osu, it is true that before I left for Jamaica, I would have gladly taken your offer to leave this planet. But I do not wish that now. I have come to see them and this place in a new light. I assure you, it would displease me to leave."

Soval looked taken aback. "I never knew you to be so...capricious."

Meral frowned deeply. "I am not. I have simply come to view things from a...different perspective."

"Your different perspective aside, I have already signed the paperwork. I was under the impression that you would have taken any excuse to get away from your human guide and return to Vulcan. You have to go, because in my...haste to see you expedited to Vulcan, I did not stop to consider that you might change your views on humanity."

Meral stepped forward. "Ambassador, I have always respected you, as a Vulcan, as a diplomat, as a man. I am grateful that you would go to such lengths to see me swiftly away to what you believe would be my contentment. But I beg of you...renounce this recall and keep me here on Earth. I wish to stay."

Soval shook his head. "As I have stated, your paperwork has been signed and sent to the High Command. You leave for Vulcan at noon. I suggest you pack."

He could feel his gaze darkening and hardening. "You do not believe I wish to stay," he realized. "Our people do not lie, Osu, it is not logical." He took a breath. "She is everything to me, ambassador. more than I could have ever dreamed. I will do whatever it takes to come back for her, or to bring her to me. If you will not aid me, perhaps others will. I take my leave of you now. Good day."

He strode out of the room without so much as the respectful raising of the_ ta'al_, and he silently asked Judith to forgive his foolishness.


	9. The Letter

**_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to gkell, Black-Moon-Onaa-Inu, and Ahlysha for reviewing._**

Judith rolled over, glancing at the timepiece on the bed. It was 0900, and the storm from last night had blown itself out. Sunlight was streaming through the window, tickling the edge of the bed, and she held out a lazy hand to touch it.

Her comm was beeping quietly, indicating that she had a message, and she picked it up, accessing her inbox.

_Judith,_

_I was called away early this morning on urgent business with Ambassador Soval. I regret that I did not get to wake up with you. Hopefully, my business will be complete by the end of the day, at which time I will return to you, and we can continue our vacation together._

_Again, my apologies. I look forward to seeing you again._

_Meral_

She sighed, but smiled slightly at the message, and she sat up, looking around on the floor for her clothes. She pulled them on and went to her room, running a hand through her fingers as she walked through the halls. Despite the hour, no one was in the hall, and she slipped quietly into her room so she could shower and change into clean clothes.

She ate breakfast alone and walked around Kingston, looking at all the landmarks she hadn't seen in years. The streets were crowded now that the sun had come back out. Lunch was also taken alone, and dinner. She fell asleep after sending him a message asking where he was. She awoke to no reply.

The rest of the week was spent alone, and by the end of it, she was both worried and angry. Why hadn't Meral responded to her messages? What was so important that it took him three full days to complete? She returned to San Francisco, her mood darker than usual, suspicions whirling around in her head.

The afternoon she got back from Jamaica, she sat on a dock on the Bay, staring out at the Pacific Ocean. Had she possibly been used? He had spent his entire acquaintance with her pushing her away, but the minute they were truly alone, out in the wilds, he softened and was kissing her before the day was out. The only other time he had attempted that was when she was drunk, even though she started it.

She sighed. What about the message, then? He said he would be coming back that day, once his business was complete. He was an engineer, not security personnel, or any aide to the ambassador. He advised Starfleet on their warp program and engines, starship design, technical things. What was taking him all week?

By that evening, she couldn't stand it anymore. She walked to the Consulate and asked to be admitted, and she gained an audience with the secretary.

"Is Mister Meral 'ere?"

"No," the woman replied coldly. "He was recalled three days ago."

Like ice, cold slipped into her stomach. She thanked the woman and exited the lobby, and made it home before she began to cry.

She had trusted him! She thought he was simply down on his luck, angry at the world or his situation, that a little sunshine and friendliness would reveal a better man! But as it turned out, he had simply used her as one last joyride before going back to Vulcan, what he had always wanted to do from the start, she assumed. Why else wouldn't he contact her?

She laid down in bed and cursed Emmie for introducing her to that man, and she fell asleep, her pillow stained with tears.

…

Meral locked himself inside his quarters the minute he reached them, then pulled out his meditation equipment and settled himself down. He retreated deep within his own mind, knowing that if he so much picked up his PADD to message her, he would throw it away, get off this ship, and find his way back to her before claiming her and making her his wife. The very thought of her was making his fury rise, and he retreated back to other thoughts, distancing himself from her for a moment, until he could think clearly.

He spent the entire trip in meditation, but all he could come up with were words to say to her, that if he were unhindered, in her arms again, on Earth again...he would say it all to her, and make her understand...she had transformed him, made him whole again, and he would not be denied this chance for contentment.

The call for boarding the landing shuttle came as a slight shock, and he pulled himself from his trance and stumbled to his feet. He had not eaten or slept, only showered when necessary and taken some tea as nourishment. He had no desire to sleep, as he would only dream of her, and his appetite was lowered considerably. He wanted to be alone, to grieve this loss and contemplate this mistake...but he would have his Judith, one way or another.

He barely recalled the trip down to the surface, so engrossed in his thoughts, but he looked up when his name was called.

L'Vek and Meskhenet were standing there, Ms. Sadir stroking her rounded belly, absentmindedly caressing the sacred temple where L'Vek's child was growing. He felt a pang of envy.

"I heard news that you were recalled," his former superior said, his expression cold. "I hope you are content with your decision."

"It was not my decision," he said darkly. "I protested, but the ambassador would not be swayed."

"Meral, I thought you would be more than content to leave Earth."

He stared at L'Vek, and he suddenly understood a human phrase he had once heard. If looks could kill...

"I have been torn," he growled, stepping closer to the elder Vulcan, "from she who will be my wife. I am not more than content to leave. I would be more than content to return, and apologize to Judith for causing this in the first place."

Meskhenet looked both overjoyed and saddened, and even L'Vek seemed taken aback at this news.

"Have you bonded to her?"

"No," he said, his voice still low and dark. "I did not have the chance. A few more days..."

"I must say, Meral, I was very wrong about you. My Meskhenet believed Judith could convince you to be hers, and I am learning not to bet against her."

"She was going to be my wife," he hissed, momentarily losing control of himself. He backtracked and took a step backward, calming himself. "Forgive me, Osu. I am...not pleased with this turn of events."

L'Vek raised an eyebrow. "Then come, and we will discuss your options."

…

Judith was walking home from work when her PADD beeped, and she frowned when it was Meral. She rolled her eyes and stashed it away...she was slightly surprised at herself. She hadn't deleted the message. Perhaps she was willing to forgive him, or maybe she didn't have all the facts...

She sighed and flopped down on her bed, then accessed her inbox again and read the message.

_My dearest Judith,_

_Forgive me, k'diwa, for waiting so long to contact you again. I was not thinking clearly after Soval gave me the message that I had been recalled. It would have been shameful to send you any message in that state. After I boarded the transport for Vulcan, I stayed in meditation until we were in orbit of my homeworld. To do otherwise might have been dangerous; I had very violent thoughts about commandeering the ship and turning it around._

_It should be obvious to you now that beneath a thin veneer of logic and control lie passionate, almost violent emotions. We must control them, lest they control us. It is our way. Please understand me, I protested this change. I did not want to leave you, not after you had found your way into my soul and transformed me so. But I will find a way, ashaya. I will come to you, or you will come to me, and I will claim you for myself. You promised me that you were mine. I hold you to that promise._

_If you revoke that promise, it is best that I was moved to Vulcan. I will say no more on the matter. I do not wish to contemplate that._

_Judith, dearest Judith, please understand that I withheld writing this for so long for my honor and for others safety. I was not allowed to leave the Consulate once the news was given to me. I was given until noon to gather my things and report to the hanger, else I would have told you this in person._

_L'Vek and Meskhenet are willing to fund your passage to Vulcan, if that appeals to you. My clan is small, and I must work in order to support them. I am not of high blood like L'Vek; even Soval is of a higher clan than me. If you wish that I come to you, it will take some time, perhaps as long as six months, before I can take time off to make the trip._

_However, if you accept L'Vek and Meskhenet's offer, you could be on Vulcan by next week. I much prefer this second option, even though it puts me further into L'Vek's debt. He chose me from the list of candidates to come to Earth as his aide, as I had the best record and better marks than my peers. I owe him for the job he obtained for me, I owe him (though I am only seeing it now) for forcing me to spend time with you, for making me go to Jamaica. And I would owe him for bringing you back to me. Should I be reinstated to my job on Earth, there would be nothing I could refuse him. Such is our way._

_Consider it, Judith. Please trust my word on this, and please forgive my foolishness. Until we meet again, I am always yours, and you are mine._

_Meral_

She read over the letter several times before setting her PADD aside, and she rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Tears filled her eyes again, but they were partially in shame. She was still angry, but it was abated by the pure honesty of his words. He said she had transformed him...the secretary confirmed that he had been recalled, and it was obvious that something had happened to him, to make him want to reach out to her after his recall. He said he could not even bring himself out of meditation, for fear of hurting someone...and on her behalf...

He said he would have commandeered the ship and turned back...all to find her...

More tears streamed down her cheeks, and she wished he were here, so they could talk about this in person. But it seemed that if she wanted to talk to him, she would have to go to Vulcan. He wasn't coming back to Earth any time soon, but she was free to take time off. She still had vacation time stored up, and had only taken one sick day in the last six months, to go with her father to clean her mother's grave. She had time, if she wanted it.

She picked up her PADD and messaged Emmie, and smiled when she got a reply.

_West Kir, The Blacksmith's Street, Number 6_

It shouldn't be too hard to find him, then.

…

_She was dancing for him in that scandalous outfit, and it was only him in the audience, the lights low, the music pounding in his ears. He gripped the handle of his lirpa tighter, growling in pleasure at the sight of her swinging her hips back and forth...like the dancing in the nightclub...her flesh was pliant and soft as he gently gripped her forearm and drew her to his body, and she grinned at him, her eyes hooded with desire..._

_"Judith," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her..._

_And then she was gone._

He awoke with a sharp gasp and quickly steadied his breathing, and he turned his head to the left, where there was space for her to lie. That space was empty, and he stared at it longingly, closing his eyes again.

This was unacceptable, and if it was the last thing he did, he would get her into his arms, link his mind to hers. He swore on his lifeblood that she would be his wife.

Strange that not a month ago he would have sworn on his lifeblood that he would never even allow himself to think such a thought.

"Judith," he whispered to the darkness, then closed his eyes and fell back asleep, trying to capture that dream once more.


	10. The Replacement

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, Ahlysha, 2redbird, gkell, bina W, and Nyotarules for reviewing!**_

Judith hurried up the steps of the Consulate, running a few fingers through her hair to straighten it as she saw her reflection in the great glass doors. She pushed one open and stepped into the lobby, which was curiously much warmer than the outside. She knew from spending time with Meral that Vulcans rather liked the heat, but she wasn't expecting it to be quite this warm.

Still, she strode confidently across the polished marble floor towards the secretary, who was reading something on a PADD. It came as a great surprise last night to receive a message from Soval himself, inviting her to meet with him. L'Vek, it seemed, had set up this meeting, so she could vouch for Meral and his earnest desire to stay on Earth.

The secretary handed her a pass, and she hung it around her neck and quickly thanked the woman, listening carefully to the directions to Meral's old office. Strange that the ambassador would want to meet there, but dealer's choice, she supposed.

She expected the place to be empty, but instead, she found a tall, young Vulcan unpacking a few boxes. His hair was dark brown and sleek, shiny in a way most Vulcan hair wasn't. His robes were ornate, flowing over his toned body as if they had been made especially for him. She paused at the sight of him and waited just outside the door, but it seemed he heard her approach. He turned and frowned at her.

"Can I help you?"

"Yer ambassador told me to wait 'ere."

"For what purpose?"

"'Don know. Ambassador Soval would know more about dat den me."

He made a face as if an unpleasant smell was in the room, and he raised an eyebrow at her attire, her usual combination of a simple shirt and cargo pants.

"Your accent is especially thick. What part of Earth are you from?"

"Jamaica, man."

"Jamiacamon? I've never heard of that region." His eyes glittered in what almost looked like malice, and she frowned.

"Jamaica. Surely you hear of Jamaica, right?"

"Ah, the island. You are incredibly difficult to understand," he said lightly.

"Sorry 'bout dat. Dat be de tongue o' de island for ya."

He smirked. "Really, how do your fellow humans understand you through that accent?"

Judith felt a twinge of annoyance, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He had immediately gone back to unpacking, and she had the intense feeling that she would not like this person.

"Is Ambassador Soval comin' soon, man?"

"Forgive me, but I did not understand that question. Perhaps you should improve your English, as to make it easier for others to understand your inquiries." He pointed to himself, as if she were a simpleton. "I am Renuk, L'Vek's new aide. And you are?"

"Renuk, this is Judith Keeler. I have an appointment with her. If you would please leave the room for a few minutes? L'Vek is in his office. He wishes to speak with you."

Judith turned around and fought the urge to gape at Ambassador Soval, who was framed impressively in the doorway. The elder Vulcan stepped aside and allowed Renuk to pass, and the young Vulcan bowed slightly to the diplomat as he vacated his office.

Soval turned to Judith and raised an eyebrow. "You are Meral's...mate?"

"I be Meral's girl, if he want me still." She smiled, then frowned. "Sir."

He folded his hands in front of him and fixed her with a long stare, and she swallowed. "You wanted to talk to me, ambassador?"

"I...apologize for the inconvenience I might have caused you both. Truly, L'Vek reported that Meral was not acclimating to life on Earth as we thought he might. That was, however, before you went to Jamaica with him," he added, his gaze softening ever so slightly. "I am pleased that you have finally gotten through to him. There is, of course, one problem."

Judith nodded. "That scum of de Earth who call himself Renuk."

Soval's eyes twinkled at that description. "He is from a high house, a wealthy, influential house. Meral, on the other hand, is from a low house. The caste system was abolished with the dawn of logic, but that does not make this any easier. As a test, to ensure that Meral really has changed, I am sending you to Vulcan."

"For what?"

"To meet with him. If he bonds with you, as he threatened to do since I told him of his recall, you will contact me and tell me. If he does not bond with you, if he has found contentment on Vulcan, then contact me, and I will send a transport to bring you back here. Am I understood?"

"Crystal clear, ambassador."

He nodded. "You leave as soon as you can inform your workplace of this trip. If they give you trouble, tell them to contact me."

"Tank you, ambassador."

"There is no need for gratitude. I was mistaken for pulling Meral off of this planet in the first place. Good day, Ms. Keeler."

She bowed her head slightly and smiled brightly at him, her mood lifting for the first time since Meral had left. He led her out of the office, and she walked down the steps of the Consulate, she received a message from her father.

…

Judith slipped into the booth across from the broad-shouldered, balding man who raised her, and she smiled at him, taking his hand across the formica table.

"My baby girl," Jovan Keeler purred, stroking the meat of her thumb. "What's got my little ball of sunshine all in a tizzy, eh?"

She sighed and glanced at the lunch menu, but she found her appetite was gone. "I be goin' to Vulcan soon, papa."

"What for?"

"To find da man of my dreams. He got recalled to Vulcan a few weeks ago now."

Jovan raised a snowy eyebrow. "And what is dis Vulcan man doin' wit my baby girl?"

"Lovin' on her like nobody's business. He be good to me, papa, and I be good to him...an' for him. He walked around wit no ting but clouds above his head, but I showed him de sunshine."

Her father roared with laughter. "Dat's my baby girl! Show de Vulcans de sunshine of our mudda country, ai!"

She giggled under her breath, then sobered. "De Vulcan who replace him be...de worst man on de planet, papa."

"No," he replied sympathetically. "Remember what I tell you, Judith. Love all, be kind to all, and dey be kind to you."

"Not wit him. He...I don' want to be around him."

Jovan shrugged. "Why, then? You've got your Vulcan man who sees de sunshine. You don' need no otha ting but dat and de good friends you have. How be Emmie-girl?"

"Four months along, and happy as de clams," Judith said proudly. "Mister L'Vek is sweet on her...I can see it."

He grinned, glancing around at the other patrons; none of them were paying him any heed. "Between you an' I, baby girl...L'Vek be a lucky man, eh? Dat girl be de hottest ting in San Francisco."

She slapped her father's shoulder. "Papa!"

"What? It be de truth! She be hot like de sauna...like yer mama."

Judith's eyes misted fondly at the memory of her mother. "How is Chicago, papa?"

"I miss Jamaica, but de pay be betta in de States. An' Viotech be good to me. If you be needin' money for yer wedding, you give me a call, baby girl, an' I'll see you get a nice wedding."

She giggled incredulously. "Papa, I don' know if he want me anymore."

"Oh, but he does. I know my baby girl, an' I know she wouldn't be goin' after a dream. You are my down-to-Earth Judith, and if you tink he de one...he be de one."

She smiled.

…

Judith clutched the PADD containing Meral's address tightly to her chest, looking up at the street signs in bemusement. She wished she knew Vulcan, so she could direct herself instead of having to loosen her accent and talk to the natives. Some didn't understand English, and the ones that did had a hard time understanding her. She sighed, checking the street name again, but it didn't match up.

She saw a gray-haired Vulcan man walking her way, and she headed towards him, determined to get help.

"Excuse me, Mista Vulcan man...I be lookin' for dis address. Can you help me, please?"

Oratt's brows furrowed and he took a step back. He reached out and took the PADD, albeit reluctantly, and then frowned as he handed it back to her. "I think you must be lost. The man who lives at that address, I am fairly certain, would not receive human visitors."

"Dat as much as you know. I be his woman, his..." she paused, racking her brains for the Vulcan word he used, "_ashaya_."

Oratt snorted softly. "Very well," he said with a mocking tone. "Follow me."

He turned on his heel and lead her to the house next to his. When they reached the walking path to Meral's house, Oratt stood with his arms folded before him. "Down that path. I'll wait here in case you need escort out of this neighborhood."

She laughed and patted his shoulder, in a friendly manner. "You not dat bad, Mista Vulcan man. I be bettin' you find yerself a good girl soon, eh?"

Oratt narrowed his eyes at her, but she just gave him a bright smile, her good mood returning. "Tank you fer de help, sir. You have a good day now."

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, and she hurried down the path, eager to get out of the heat of the Vulcan sun, and to see Mr. Meral again, to tell him all about the arrogant good-for-nothing snob that had taken his place.

She knocked on the door and waited, sweating in the midday sun. She glanced back at the doctor, who was staring incredulously at her, but she turned when the door opened.

…

Meral sighed as he walked home from the transport, the late-day heat reflecting from every rock on the way. Kir was quieter than Shi'Kahr, for which he was grateful. Noise did not agree with him, not after his terrible realization that Judith might become attracted to his replacement. He had never met Renuk of Shi'Kahr, but he heard rumor that the man was at ease around women, charismatic, even charming, if one could call a Vulcan charming. The man usually got what he wanted, and it pained him to think of his Judith in the arms of someone else.

But Renuk, he knew, was from a high house, with family members on the Vulcan Science Academy Board of Directors, the Vulcan Intelligence Service and the High Command. He came from power and wealth; Meral needed what little influence and money he had to support his parents, who lived on Blacksmith's Street, their lifestyles simple, meager even. It was his duty to support them, and he quickly cast the thought of Judith from his mind.

It was impossible. The thoughts of her and Renuk touching each other, kissing each other, getting into bed together plagued him, made the emptiness in his _katra _that much more noticable.

He was brought out of his reverie the sight of his neighbor Oratt lingering outside his gate, narrowing his eyes at the house.

"Meral, a human woman just asked me to directions to your home. She has gone inside, claiming to be your mate."

He stared at his neighbor, blinking rapidly, and he turned immediately to the open gate and low-lying house. "How long ago?"

"No more than ten minutes."

"Describe her."

Oratt frowned. "Uncouth accent, brown skin, like the color of a sehlat's pelt, and short hair-"

Meral didn't wait a moment longer, but hurried to the house and slipped into the foyer of his home, setting aside his outer robes, following the voices to the kitchen.


	11. The Bonding

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, bina W and Ahlysha for reviewing!**_

_**A/N: Second half of the chapter is rated M. Just fair warning. Don't like, don't read.**_

Judith knocked on the door, holding her PADD to her chest. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to suck as much oxygen out of the thin air as she could. Oratt was still standing there at the gate, watching her, and it didn't make her feel any better.

However, she opened her eyes when soft footsteps approached the door, and she smiled at the man on the other side. It wasn't Meral, but an older man, and for a moment she thought she had the address wrong.

"Is Mister Meral 'ere, sir?" she asked politely. The man raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you looking for my son?"

"I be...well...he be da man I gonna marry," she said as if the word were foreign in her mouth. She looked at the older man in shock, realizing she was meeting Meral's father. She was about to throw her arms around the man in relief when an older woman rounded the corner.

"Who is there, Sivik?"

He turned to her. "A woman who claims our son as her...future bondmate. Did you know of such an event, T'Lon?"

Her eyes sparkled even though her face remained neutral. "I did not, but I wondered why our son was so moody of late. Welcome her in, Sivik. Do not make her stand in the heat of the Vulcan day...can you not see she is human?"

She approached, her gaze softening. "Come in, young woman. Let us make you tea." She waved Judith in. "Our son has not shown interest in any woman before...you are more than welcome in our home."

"Tank you," she said, wiping her brow of sweat. "I be Judith Keeler. Where be Mister Meral?"

"He will be home from his new job soon. Where on Earth are you from?"

"Me mudda country be Jamaica, ma'am. Negril, Jamaica."

"Ah. You have a very interesting accent."

"Ai, from me mudda and me fatha. Me mudda be from Africa, and me fatha from Jamaica. De accents mix in me mouth."

She accepted the proffered tea and smiled as they offered her a seat, and she sat down, sighing in contentment. "Tank you very much, ma'am. I be missin 'im like he be part of me body."

"I have never met a human in person," Sivik said as he sat down.

Meral's mother raised an eyebrow at him. "Sivik, please...she was speaking of a stirring of her _katra_ for our son. I would rather hear about that than have her answer your incessant questions."

She turned back to Judith. "Forgive my husband. Tell me, will you be staying with us while you are on Vulcan? I do wish that you would. I just cleaned Meral's room, and I believe we can find space for anything you have brought. Perhaps tonight you may even engage in intercourse!" she said brightly.

Sivik nodded. "That would be agreeable for both of you. Perhaps I should turn on the atmospheric conditioner in his room. I cannot imagine a human being very comfortable during a physical activity such as coitus when it is hot."

Judith nearly snorted into her tea, but turned when she heard Meral's voice.

"Father, what are you talking about?" he called from the front door, then turned the corner and froze. She set down her tea and walked up to him, her hands on her hips.

"Judith," he whispered, reaching for her. She paused, glancing over him. He was wearing some sort of suit, and she grinned, biting her lip.

"Mister Vulcan man," she said, stepping closer. "You should wear dat suit more often, ai?" She stepped still closer, and he pulled her into his arms. She laughed, squeezing him hard. "Oh, Meral, I missed ya, love!"

"I was just talking about the temperature of your room for coitus," Sivik said, talking over the moment, until his wife pulled at his arm.

"Hush, Sivik," she whispered.

Meral stroked Judith's cheek and looked at her in disbelief. "I did not think..." he whispered, but trailed off, then bent down, pressing his lips against hers.

Sivik's eyes widened. "He even knows how to kiss as a human kisses. Fascinating."

Meral pulled her hard against him as he pulled back from the kiss. "Judith, let me bond to you now. Let me..." His hands were already at her neck. "Please, accept me as your bondmate. I do not wish to live another moment without you."

She gripped his hair tight and nodded, and he kissed her again. She wasn't sure what bonding with him would feel like, but Emmie had revealed to her all the pleasures of it.

She gasped into his mouth and made a noise of surprise as she felt herself flooded with heat and light and...Meral. He was everywhere, inside her, outside her, his lips burning hers, his hands searing her throat, and she trembled, pressing herself to him, holding him tight lest she fall into the fiery inferno that was seemingly surrounding them. He was like some wraith, wrapping itself around her, infusing her insides with heat, and she was burning, burning with every emotion he had ever felt for her since their first encounter. Confusion, slight disgust, irritation, then transformed into a deep, almost desperate regard. She moaned despite herself, joined completely with him in mind and spirit, scorched yet untouched, burning yet not harmed. It did not hurt, but it was intense, the way his entire being flooded her mind. She thought wildly for a moment that she would pass out in his arms, but then she was herself again, and he was holding her as she shook.

"Meral," she gasped, collapsing into him. He held her, and she felt satisfied, as if she had been craving this very thing since she first drew breath. And then she realized it was both their satisfactions, twined together like sturdy robe. There were threads between them now, invisible, yet strong as tempered steel.

His mother and father approached and helped her stay standing. When she blinked, they both looked at her and then at their son. "We have a very agreeable increase in our house now."

Sivik looked at his son. "Congratulations, my son, on a beautiful bondmate. I know you must be anxious to engage in coitus now, but please...have dinner with us first. We will arrange a more agreeable place for you to live, as we have been saving your entire life for this moment. Allow us this, please."

Meral looked at his mother. "I do not mind that, father, but I would like a moment alone with her, please."

They nodded and allowed the two of them to go to Meral's room, and she kissed him the minute the door was closed.

"Oh, Meral...de hottest ting in town is all mine now..."

He growled in her ear and sheathed his fingers in her short bob. "Yes, Judith...yours. Always yours."

They breathed together in silence, holding each other close, and she closed her eyes as she rooted for his lips again. He granted her a long, luxurious kiss, and she gripped his hair again.

"I thought you lost to me. Renuk has a reputation..."

"I don' want to even be aroun' dat good-for-no-ting, arrogant, scum of de Earth-"

He swallowed her insults with a greedy kiss, and he pressed her harder to his body. "My Judith...my loyal Judith..."

"Yer sensible girl, ai. Renuk is...I don' want to talk about him. You're my Mister Vulcan man now...if yer mama and yer papa be dat nice, you gon' like my papa."

"Your mother is deceased, correct?"

"Ai, she be wit de angels now," she said in a soft voice, stroking his face.

"May her _katra _rest in peace...oh, Judith, long have I awaited this day. Judith..."

"You like de sound of my name, love?"

"Indeed, it is as intoxicating to my senses as the sight of your body."

She raised a mischievous eyebrow and ran a deft finger over his lower lip. "You be tryin' to get me in bed with dat silver tongue of yours?" She grinned. "It's workin'..."

"My tongue is not made out of silver."

"Perhaps I should taste it," she purred, leaning closer. "Just ta be sure..."

A flush of green spread over his cheeks, and his eyes darkened to deep pools of inky black. "Judith, I wish to fill you tonight with my child, but are you agreeable to having dinner with my...our parents before we do?"

"Ai, love, I tink my stomach be talkin for me," she whispered, kissing his lips again, but briefly. Her stomach rumbled as if to prove her point, and as his parents turned away, his hand stroked over her abdomen, and she shivered.

"Did I make you uncomfortable when I bonded to you?" he asked, frowning. She grinned.

"No." She bumped her hip with his. "You be makin' dis motor run hot, Meral."

He stared at her in confusion until she felt a tingle in her head, a thrumming of sorts, as if a motor had been installed in her brain. Then his eyes flashed, and she felt the hair on the back of her head stand on end.

"I'll make it run hotter, once the dishes are clean," he purred in her ear, then led her back into the other room, to the table. She followed dutifully, thanking his parents once again for making dinner. They were strange, and extremely honest and blunt, but after a while it stopped being shocking and became more endearing. Meral served her some of everything, and she waited for a cue to eat. Once his mother began eating, Judith took that as a sign that she could eat as well.

Meral sat her down in a chair beside his mother, then got up and aided in serving the meal. His mother placed her hand on her shoulder. "One day you will be the matron of this house," she whispered, "and I believe that will be the greatest day of our family's history. "

Judith blushed. "But ma'am, you don't even be know'n me..."

She let the tiniest smile touch her lips. "I do know my son...and he would not have waited so long only to choose a terrible mate. We are honored to have you here."

Sivik slid a small chip to Meral. "This is a room at the Shi'Kahr spring, along with all the money your mother and I have saved over the course of your life to start you off with your own family. You have supported us all your life, Meral, and this is the least we could do."

…

Soval had just finished dinner and was completing a few reports when his comm beeped. It was a message from Vulcan, and he read Judith's three-word message with a raised eyebrow.

_Meral is mine._

…

Meral locked the door behind him and let the towel around his waist slip to the floor. He and his new wife had spent an hour or so soaking in a private spring, and Judith had wasted no time in touching him. He had never been caressed so lovingly in his life, not even by his mother, and her alien touch sent shivers of delight down his spine. He had returned the favor by giving her a sensual version of nueropressure, in her words, "revving up her engine". If his calculations were correct, and the look in her eyes and the smell lingering on her creamy flesh, that engine was plenty hot.

"I must warn you," he murmured as he untied his loincloth, "I have never had sexual relations outside..."

Judith grinned. "Emmie-girl told me about de fever...when is yours?"

"Five years."

She groaned in disappointment. "Dat far off? Mm...oh well. We'll have plenty a' time 'til dat day ta get ta know each odda, ai?"

"I should hope so," he murmured, letting his loincloth fall to the ground. She stared at him in obvious hunger.

"I forgot how..." She swallowed thickly, reaching out to him. He obliged her, pulling her into his waiting arms, and she lightly brushed her pelvic region against his nakedness. He shivered with her.

"Meral," she whimpered, stroking his fingers even as she captured his lips in a slow, tantalizing kiss. At first, she didn't even give him the satisfaction of full friction against her, and he realized belatedly that she was teasing him. Her fingers abandoned his hand and trailed teasingly down his abdomen towards his stomach, then further down, seemingly tracing each muscle.

"Judith," he growled, but she silenced any further protests with a thrilling stroke of her tongue against his. He fell silent, not even sure what to say to her in this moment. Her fingers trailed even further down, and he felt himself rise in response.

"Ai, I feel dat, love," she murmured, rubbing against him. He buried his growl in her hair as he allowed himself the pleasure of smelling her hair. Her scent was heady and hot, and his eyes slithered closed as she traced her fingernail ever so lightly around every place but the place he wanted her touch the most.

"I believe the phrase is two can play this game, _k'diwa_," he breathed in her ear, snapping the thin band of her bathing suit with ease. It fell to the ground next to his loincloth, and he let his long, slender fingers explore her slickness.

Her next breath was shuddering and slow, and he smirked in success; he was having a positive effect on her. Her breath ghosted across his flesh, and he groaned at the sensation, tightening his grip on her.

"Now...if I recall correctly, _this _should please you," he murmured, sliding his finger between her folds and finding the spot he remembered from their night of passion in Jamaica. "Am I right, Judith? Or does my memory fail me?"

She squealed as he found what he was looking for, and she pressed her lips to his neck to stifle her moan. "Dat's right..._love_..."

"Does this please you?" he asked, his voice much lower than he remembered. That seemed to only heighten her pleasure, and he purred in her ear. She whimpered, squeezing him harder than she meant to.

He gasped into her hair and pushed further and harder than he meant, and she yelped, nipping at his skin.

"Oh, Mister Meral, dat be da way..."

He dipped his head and pressed his teeth into her neck, and upon her enthusiastic encouragement, plunged his teeth through her flesh. He augmented this by thrusting even more vigorously into her womanhood, and she cried out, clutching his back hard enough to draw blood.

"Meral...Meral, I tink I'm goin' to..."

He growled in satisfaction as she spilled wildly over his fingers, and he held her close as she recovered, thumbing that familiar bud of passion that responded so well to stimulation.

Once she got her breath back, he shoved her onto the bed, tugging her hips towards him as soon as her head hit the pillows.

"Mister Meral, you haven't had a turn yet," she protested, and he lowered his head and licked her inner thigh, which was still wet with her juices. The taste of it was succulent.

"I appreciate your concern for my pleasure, but I may just come to completion by simply listening to your cries. The noises you make are incredibly stimulating, I assure you."

He purred against her center, nosing it, inhaling the thick scent of _her_. One lick, and she was already rewarding him with those delightful little noises.

"More, _k'diwa_," he cooed, enveloping his tongue in her taste. "_More_."

She whimpered and gripped his hair with a tight fist, and he found he liked the sharp sensation of her hand tugging his hair.

She trembled through her second completion, howling his name and gripping the bed with ardor that set his loins aflame.

"Have you had enough, or are you ready to move on?" he asked, leaning over her, delighting in the sight of her sweat-drenched flesh and inky pupils.

"Please, love...please..." She weakly pulled his hips towards hers, and he took that as permission.

"I promise you, I will go slowly this first time...and any other time you wish to do this with me." He positioned himself, tickling her folds as he prepared to take her. "Are you ready?"

She leaned up and captured his lips, greedily sucking on his lower lip. "Take me now, love," she demanded, then softened her voice. "I love you."

"You are dearer to me than the air we breathe. You are my very breath," he whispered in reply, then gently laid her back and began the process of taking his wife for the first time. She winced at first, but as he continued (she refused to let him stop, and he took the pain from her), she started to make those wonderful noises again. He was slow at first, letting her adjust to him, but as she started moving into him, he quickened his slow stroke, heat gripping his blood like the boundless illogic of fever; but he did not lose himself to it. He was master of the heat, just barely, and he pressed his palms hard into the mattress on either side of her, his gaze locked on hers. She seemingly couldn't tear her eyes away, and they kept getting darker and wider, her lips parting ever so slightly. He couldn't resist the urge to kiss her dark lips, and he stroked a gentle hand down her side even as he quickened his pace again. She trembled.

"Meral!" she shouted as another stroke drove him in deep. "_Meral_!" She began babbling in heavily accented English, so incomprehensible that he couldn't translate it, and he set his lips at her neck, biting all around her shoulders and collarbone as she spouted nonsense.

With a great gasp, he felt her spill her warmth, and he followed quickly behind, moaning in release and pleasure. Her mocha skin was drenched in a heavy sheen of sweat, and he palmed her shoulder with reverence.

"Thank you," he gasped. "Judith..."

She panted on the bedspread, steam forming between them from the wet heat of her body and the dry heat of his. She made a small noise of protest and bucked her hips when he made to withdraw.

"_No_," she moaned. "Stay..._more_..."

His blood rose to a new heat, and he growled as he obeyed his wife's wish.


	12. The Spy

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and Meral's parents), Ahlysha, and maba7x for reviewing.**_

_**A/N: V'Lok is a criminal investigator, and appears in the story "Dear Ambassador Soval".**_

_**Also, this chapter contains adult matters. Fair warning.**_

Judith drifted awake, frowning at the beeping sounds in her ear. She opened her eyes and blinked the sleep away, and she found herself resting on a broad, muscular chest, the morning sun streaming across the bed.

"Good morning," she heard a familiar voice murmur, and she closed her eyes, nuzzling into her living pillow. Meral stroked her hair with an absentminded hand, absorbed in a PADD. His scrolling beeped in her ear as he moved down the page, but he set the PADD aside and gave her his undivided attention as she became more aware of herself and her surroundings.

The bedcovers were a tumble around their legs, their vigorous activities and the heat of the Vulcan sun making them rather unnecessary. It did get cooler at night, but it took hours for heat to dissipate into the atmosphere; however, they had made better use of that time, and she groaned as she rolled over onto her back.

Meral shifted his position and kissed her shoulder with tenderness, and she smiled lazily.

"Mister Vulcan man," she whispered. "Perhaps I stay 'ere wit you, and Emmie-girl and Mister L'Vek can deal wit dat good-fer-no-ting dirtbag on der own, ai?"

"That would be irresponsible of us," he purred, moving his kisses further in towards her neck. "We must assist them in any way we can."

"But how?" She leaned back into the pillows, allowing him access to more of her neck.

"The ambassador has invited me back to Earth for consultation. He has instructed me to find housing outside the Consulate."

"You can stay wit me," she replied immediately. "Don' husband 'n wife stay togetha?"

"Indeed they do." His hand curled around her ribs and stroked downward over her curves. "My parents wish to accompany us."

Judith couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, dear, dey made de trip back home a blast, now."

"They do have the tendency to make things interesting," he replied, nibbling her earlobe. "Years of being...cautious with their finances have led to an impressive amount of savings. They do not need my help any longer. My wages will go towards supporting you, and all future children."

His voice slipped down into that attractive growl she had come to love, and she turned towards him, forcing him to abandon her ear in favor of her lips.

"You have made me feel whole, _ashaya_," he purred. "And for that, I can never thank you enough."

She smiled and pulled him down for a more intimate kiss, and he straddled her, knowing she wanted to start the dance again.

…

Renuk zipped up his pants and straightened his tunic, fixing his hair in the bathroom mirror. Portia, niece of Cordo Amirault (speaker to the United Nations Council), was currently getting dressed in the bedroom, rearranging her hair and smoothing her clothes, just as he was doing.

On the whole, he was rather satisfied with himself and with her performance. Earth women did make the most delightful little noises during coitus, but this was nothing truly worthy of his attention. There were plenty of attractive, naïve young women willing to share his bed, and as long as he was here, he saw no reason why he couldn't explore the natives and their primitive culture.

She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her slender body against his back, and he stiffened, not expecting the affection after their rather impersonal coitus (at least on his end). He turned to her and carefully brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her face, and she smiled at him.

"Will I see you again?" she asked, sounding almost like a child. _You weren't that remarkable, human, _he thought to himself.

"I will see if my duties allow me more contact with you," he said aloud. "But for what you did for me last night..." He paused and cupped her cheek, maintaining the illusion of attraction for a few minutes longer. "I thank you," he whispered, lowering his voice in the way that made her shiver.

But her eyes were distant as she stepped away from him, frowning in sudden coldness. "Well, I had a good time," she offered, throwing him an unconvincing smile. He simply raised an eyebrow.

"I enjoyed myself as well," he replied evenly. "I am pleased that you had a...'good time'."

She rubbed the back of her neck, and he contemplated the unmarked patches of skin visible on her neck. Biting her flesh was an intimacy he wasn't interested in granting her, and besides, that would have left physical evidence of their encounter, possibly scarring and implicating him later on. That would not do, as he intended this encounter to be clandestine.

"I've got to go," she said suddenly, looking up at him beneath those lovely dark lashes of hers. She even looked childish now, and he smirked at her, pulling her in for one last kiss.

"Thank you, Portia, for allowing me the pleasure of attending you," he purred, nosing her hair. She gently shoved him away and shook her head.

"Yeah...see you around, I guess."

He watched her go, then turned back and continued fixing his hair.

…

V'Lok activated the comm and waiting for his younger brother to answer. He waited for a few minutes, and then Renuk's face appeared on screen.

"Brother," the investigator began, his shrewd eyes searching his brother's face. "How goes your assignment on Earth?"

"It is primitive, but acceptable," Renuk replied coolly. V'Lok understood his brother to be very Vulcan-centric and dismissive of other species, so his answer did not surprise the investigator.

But what intrigued him the most was Renuk's changed appearance. His brother's pupils had swollen to twice their normal size, swallowing his cold blue irises. And his breathing was slightly abnormal, the relaxed but still heavy breathing of one who has just engaged in intimacy...

"I have been attempting to contact you for several hours now," V'Lok stated, seeing if his brother would take the bait. Renuk's nostrils flared slightly.

"Some of us have work to do. I was running an errand for Osu L'Vek."

"Ah," V'Lok said, feigning understanding. His brother's lips were swollen as well...

"Was there something you wished to discuss?"

The investigator raised an eyebrow. "I simply wished to check on you and make sure your progress on Earth was going smoothly."

"That was considerate of you, but unnecessary," Renuk replied coldly. "I am not a child any longer, brother. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself."

"Truly," V'Lok said, a hint of derision in his voice. "Well, if you have nothing further to say to me, I will leave you to your business. Good day, Renuk."

"And you, brother," he replied, perhaps as a last-ditch attempt at cordiality.

V'Lok flared his nostrils and fetched a PADD, and he remotely activated the tracking device he had planted on his brother before Renuk had left for Earth. He leaned back in his chair and watched the data flow in, and he narrowed his eyes at the PADD.

He knew his brother was up to no good, as was his nature. The man was too used to getting everything he wanted; it came as a shock to Renuk when he was bonded to a woman from a lower house. V'Lok had met the woman once, and as far as he knew, they had never touched each other.

The investigator sighed and put in a request to speak with Ambassador Soval on a secure channel, then smirked ever so slightly as his request was acknowledged.

"Ambassador," he said cordially, raising the _ta'al_. Soval returned the gesture. "I have some information on one of your employees."

…

Judith was settling in to their cabin and having tea with his mother, so Meral walked with his father to the flight deck, gazing out at the stars as Sivik asked him questions about Earth.

"Tell me, son," his father began, folding his hands neatly in front of him. "Did you engage in intimacy with your wife when you went to the springs?"

"Yes, father," Meral replied.

"How did you find the experience?"

The younger Vulcan closed his eyes. "No priestess could ever match her fire, father. She was nearly overtaken with her own fever by the end of it. She allowed me to engage in coitus with her for nearly ten hours, before she became too exhausted to continue. However, when morning came, she allowed it again, and has hardly left my side since."

Sivik's eyes widened slightly. "I was not aware that human women were so...enthusiastic."

"She is not anomalous," he declared, allowing a hint of pride to taint his voice. "Most human women are agreeable to intimacy. She told me several times that I was skilled, that she enjoyed the way I pleased her. I lost track of our shared completions after number fifteen."

His father's eyes widened even further. "You have found yourself a very advantageous bondmate, my son."

Meral bowed his head. "She says she is eager to see my Time, father. I am truly fortunate to have found her."

Sivik was silent for several moments, then lowered his voice. "Should your mother pass untimely..."

He left the rest unspoken, but Meral knew his father was now more curious than ever about human women. He felt a surge of pride as he felt the openness in his bond with Judith, and he gazed out at the stars, appreciating their beauty even more now.

…

Renuk nuzzled his nose into Maureen's shoulder, groaning in satisfaction as she pushed him over the brink. The secretary (first secretary to the Secretary of the Space Council in the Senate) had given him a thorough education in human intimacy, including some things he hadn't even considered. She was even more delightful than Portia, though not as aesthetically pleasing.

She moaned as they rolled into completion together, and he offered her a smile as she collapsed over him.

"You felt wonderful," he purred in her ear, stroking her inky black locks. She raised herself up and stared down at him incredulously, but he simply smirked.

"Would you like to go again?" he asked, palming her bare breast. She sighed.

"No, not tonight." She got off of him and laid down beside him in the plush hotel bed. "I've got a ton of meetings in the morning...I need to get some sleep."

He lightly kissed her forehead and gave her a look that had made her tremble earlier. "Then go to sleep...I'll be here when you wake."

Her expression softened, and she drifted off into a deep slumber. Once she was unconscious, he let his expression return to neutrality, and he slipped out of bed and got dressed. She was snoring lightly by the time he was back to his impeccable self, and he left her the key as he slipped out the door.

…

Sorak glanced over the Vulcan News Network as his lunch break drew to a close, and he spent a few minutes absorbed in an article about protests breaking out on Mazar. He made a mental note to contact his sister, Ambassador V'Lar, and ask for more information about what was causing the riots. The article was rather skimpy on details, and he wanted to make sure his sister was not in any immediate danger, as the Vulcan News Network often exaggerated violence, making all species but their own look barbaric and primitive. For all he knew, the Mazarites had a logical reason to protest.

He put the matter out of his mind and turned to his work, but just as he was about to continue a report he was working on, a message popped up in his inbox.

Their was no sender, no traceable signal, just a data stream. He noted it had been sent to Soval as well, and he knew Osu was in his office, most likely taking tea. Sorak put down his stylus and walked into the ambassador's office, where Soval was staring at his monitor.

"You received a message from an unknown sender, am I correct?" the aide asked gently. The ambassador nodded.

"It was sent to me as well. It is simply a data stream, and from what I can tell, there is no way to trace the signal. It passed the virus protection shield, so it must not be contaminated," Sorak continued. "Shall we watch it together?"

Soval nodded. "It was intended for both of us." With the press of a button, the door to his office was locked.

"Let us see what information this mystery sender wishes to share with us."


	13. The Return

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, maba7x and gkell for reviewing!**_

Renuk straightened his tunic as he headed for Seraphina Goodman, a respected aide to the president of Earth himself. She was back in San Francisco to get a part-time degree in diplomacy so she could start an even more advantageous career.

He almost purred with delight as he stepped up to her and offered her a tiny smile. "Good evening," he murmured to her. The scent of her perfume had that now-familiar intoxicating effect on him, and he poured her a drink from the table right behind him. "Would you like some champagne?"

"Thank you," she said graciously, pushing a lock of her chestnut hair from her delicate features. He handed her the glass and carefully tucked another stray hair behind her ear, and she glanced at him with uncertain bright amber eyes.

V'Lok finished the last algorithm. His brother's PADD flashed and he leaned back in his chair, contemplating the vision before him. It was as he suspected; his brother was seeking conquest, of the human female kind. The human framed in the PADD was most aesthetically pleasing, but if his brother's normal taste held, her interest was nothing more than surface. He steepled his fingers under his chin to watch. He would know his brother's intentions soon.

Sera sipped her champagne and nodded. "This an expensive vintage...If I had to guess, it's Cristal, and that hasn't been made since the 21st century."

Renuk smirked. "A woman of distinctive tastes and refined knowledge. I am impressed."

"Are you really?" she teased, taking another sip of her drink. "I was under the impression that Vulcans don't impress easily."

"We do not," he replied smoothly. "But you are impressive. Not to mention beautiful beyond the capacity of your tongue to describe."

V'Lok felt his cheeks flush with irritation as the woman blushed, a reluctant grin tugging at her lips. "A smooth talking Vulcan who is impressed by me and thinks I'm beautiful," Sera murmured into her glass. "It's almost too good to be true."

He smirked as Renuk's heart rate increased for a brief moment, and he thought perhaps this woman was not as easily taken in as the others.

"This song is rather pleasing," Renuk commented offhandedly. "Would you like to dance with me?"

Sera placed her glass on the table and held her hand to Renuk. "I would love to dance. It's nice to be with a man who dances, and I never expected that from a Vulcan."

V'Lok's eyebrow rose. They were moving out of range of the PADD. He tapped at his console, accessing the remote surveillance, and his panel of viewers flashed on. The entire place was now viewable, and he stuck in a data crystal into the console and began recording.

Renuk pulled her against his body and began moving smoothly across the floor with her. He looked down into her eyes, allowing a smirk to play on his sculpted lips; she smelled divine. "You are a most pleasing woman," he murmured, moving his head so he could smell her hair discretely.

Sera could smell something on him she couldn't quiet catch, but she felt a touch unnerved by it. "You are an impressive dancer. Where did you learn human dancing?"

"Diplomacy requires knowledge of some of your customs. I was trained on Vulcan," he lied smoothly, twirling her out and then pulling her back in even closer. Her eyes darkened a little, but she looked uncertain.

"I know this must be strange for you, but I thought you'd be pleased," he said, almost pouting a little. "It was not easy to learn how to do this. Vulcans do not dance."

"You're doing great," she assured him, and for the rest of their dance, they seemed to be agreeable to one another. V'Lok suppressed the jealousy and anger roiling in his stomach, then watched with narrowed eyes as his brother led Sera off the dance floor.

"Would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me?" he murmured. "I find the air in here stifling, don't you?"

V'Lok tapped effortlessly at the console and the garden area came into his view.

"I love the gardens here," Sera replied. She made to put her hands behind her back, but Renuk took her hand in his. Her eyes widened. "My research indicates that your people don't..."

Renuk cocked his head. "Again, Seraphina, I know your customs. Tonight I wish to show you my deep interest in you and your people. On Vulcan, we would only be allowed to do this in public."

He slid two fingers down the backs of her knuckles, letting his guard down so he could see her swoon. She did and his eyes darkened. "But now, we may hold hands as your people do."

"What was that?"

He leaned into her, brushing her hair back so he could whisper in her ear. "It is a Vulcan way to kiss...did you find it agreeable?"

"Not at all what I expected," Sera replied as evenly as she could. She took another drink of her champagne to calm her nerves, but it seemed this Vulcan wasn't about to let her go that easily.

"But did you find it agreeable?"

She smiled at him. "Yes, it felt quite lovely." She paused, staring into his bright blue eyes. "You're rather forward for a Vulcan, aren't you?"

"Forward, or straightforward?" he countered, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Straightforward...yes, that is a common Vulcan trait, isn't it?"

Renuk nodded. "It is not logical to be anything other than straightforward. Skirting around an issue never solved anything." He leaned down and stroked her cheek. "And I do not find it necessary to skirt around you either. I wish to be straightforward with you."

V'Lok smirked at the man's easy lies and narrowed his eyes at the PADD. He illogically wished the woman would run away, refuse to go another step with his brother...she seemed cautious for a woman her age, and he wished wildly for a moment that she was here with him instead of in the garden with Renuk...

Sera nodded. "Fine, we are being straightforward." She turned to Renuk. "Are we?"

Renuk nodded and guided her to the two-person swing by the fountain. "Please. I would find it most refreshing."

"What do you want? I've been around other Vulcans and..."

He cut her off, pressing his finger to his lips. "I am not as other Vulcans. Not with you."

She grabbed his wrist and leaned back, her eyes narrowed. "Ok, that was a douche move. You don't want to talk with me, you want to touch me, and I finally got the smell...off your disgusting fingers. You know, if you're going to finger a woman and then place your finger on another woman's lips...you should wash your filthy hands before you do."

She tossed her drink on his face and dropped the glass on the gravel before his feet as she stood.

"I thought I could smell something "fishy" on you.." she growled and nearly gagged, longing to wash her face from the possible STD-laden germs on her lips.

"Good night, Renuk. Don't ever contact me again."

She walked off in a huff.

V'Lok smirked as the woman walked away from his brother, and he copied the video onto a separate data crystal, ready to send it to his brother as a gift for Surak's day. He considered making another copy for his clan mother and Renuk's bondmate, but he decided that might be a little too cruel.

Once the video was done copying, he saved another copy to his personal comm and sent the original to Ambassador Soval, along with more incriminating evidence. He calculated that Renuk had no more than five days left on Earth.

Business was complete, so he turned his attention to the beautiful woman with enough sense to reject his kin. Seraphina...what a lovely name. He looked her up in the database and raised an eyebrow at the amount of credentials she had. Sera had a background in security, but was choosing to try for a diplomatic career instead...his brother, while forward and lewd, did occasionally display good taste, and Seraphina Goodman seemed like a lovely woman.

…

Judith sighed as she set her bag on the floor of her room and sat down on her bed, and Meral immediately sat down beside her, wrapping his right arm around her shoulder. She leaned into his strong, solid body and smiled into his tunic.

"Finally...we be home, ai..."

_My home is wherever you happen to be, _Meral chimed in her head, and her grin widened. He had introduced her to their newfound ability to speak to each other in their minds, and she found the concept rather nice. Now she could talk dirty to him and not get weird looks from passerby.

Before she could reply, the doorbell rang, and she ran to get it, flinging open the door to reveal her father, as jolly and jovial as ever. She felt Meral follow her down the hallway, and her husband placed a protective hand on her shoulder.

"Papa!"

"Eh, Judith, dat be my girl!"

Jovan pulled her into a tight bear hug. "Emmie-girl told me you be marryin' dis Vulcan." Her father looked approvingly at Meral, who straightened.

"Good muscle on 'im, Judith. He be good in a fight, if push come ta shove, eh?" the human man murmured.

"Ai, Meral be my knight in shinin' armor, Papa."

Her father grinned, then pulled Meral into an enthusiastic hug. "Welcome, Meral! Welcome to de family!"

Judith laughed aloud at the look on Meral's face; obviously, her Vulcan man had not anticipated being hugged by a large, burly Jamaican upon meeting him for the first time, but Meral simply straightened his robes and bowed his head to Jovan.

"I promise you, sir, I will take excellent care of your daughter. No harm will come to her while she is at my side."

"Dat be de spirit, Mister Meral! And dese be yer papa and yer mama?"

"Yes, sir. May I introduce my father, Sivik, and my mother, T'Lon."

Jovan pulled them both into a group hug, Sivik in one arm and T'Lon in the other, and they both glanced at each other, the looks of surprise on their faces making Judith howl with laughter.

"Papa, dat's not how de Vulcans greet each odda!"

"Dey comin' to Earth, dey need ta learn to be happy! Jus' because dey be Vulcan don' mean dey can't be sunshine in de world, eh?"

She shrugged and glanced apologetically at Meral's parents, but Sivik did not seem bothered by Jovan's odd greeting. He seemed intrigued, if nothing else. T'Lon was as calm and collected as ever.

"I have never met a human with more joy flowing through his veins, T'Lon," Sivik said to his wife. "Save perhaps our new daughter."

"He is a very happy person. It is...refreshing. Your emotions are powerful, Osu, but not unpleasant."

"Tank you kindly, madam," Jovan said graciously, bowing his head a little. "Tell me now...dis be yer first time on our planet, no?"

"We are first-time visitors, yes," Sivik replied.

"Wonderful!" Judith's father exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "You come wit I, and I show you de sights of dis city, ai?"

Sivik looked to T'Lon, who was already tucking her PADD into her robes. The Vulcan woman reached for her husband's fingers and put a pleasant expression on her face.

"Lead the way, Mr. Keeler."

Jovan roared with triumphant laughter and immediately led them out the door, babbling all the while about everything he wanted to show them. He waved goodbye to Judith and Meral, who stood at the doorway, slightly stunned.

"Dat be my papa," Judith finally breathed. "'Ere one minute and out into de street in anoda. He always be comin and goin...but now..."

She turned to him with a sly grin and fingered the clasp of his tunic. "Dat leaves you and I togetha in dis house...alone...fer tree, four hours..."

Meral snapped the door shut and locked it, then pulled her to his body and captured her mouth in a possessive, greedy kiss. "I was contemplating as much," he purred, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt. She cut to the chase and tore open his tunic, lightly scratching her nails down his wonderfully hairy chest, and he followed suit, ripping her shirt off of her in one swift movement. Buttons clattered everywhere, but Meral ignored them and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

She gripped tight with her knees as he continued to kiss her, and it took several minutes for them to reach the bedroom door. Her bra was unlatched and hanging on a piece of artwork on the wall before the door was shut, and she gasped in delight as he tossed her onto her bed.

"What a way ta be welcomed home, eh, love?"

"What a way indeed," he purred. "Forgive me, but I must familiarize myself with your bed, with you in it..."

She laughed and took his earlobe between her lips, and he growled, shrugging out of his tunic and tossing it aside. She rolled with him, pushing him on his back, and she palmed him heatedly through his trousers as she licked up his neck.

Their hearts raced in tandem as their movements became evermore spontaneous and wild, and she found herself pressed down onto the bed, on her stomach, with Meral's lips and teeth exploring her back and spine.

She moaned, and was just about to try to shrug out of her shorts when a PADD started beeping.

They both froze, listening for where the sound was coming from, and the culprit was Meral's PADD, abandoned on the floor in the wake of their passions, but he leaned over the side of the bed and quickly scanned the message on the screen.

A victorious smirk tugged his thin lips upward, and she leaned over his shoulder, trying to read the script in his hand. However, she couldn't read Vulcan, so she looked to him for an answer.

"I may be staying here longer than I thought," he said.


	14. The Reprimand

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, bina W, 2redbird and maba7x for reviewing.**_

Seraphina paced in front of her console, debating whether or not to call the Consulate and discuss Renuk's behavior. On the one hand, it wasn't her business to report the man for sleeping around. For all she knew, he had been rejected by the woman he was "fingering" and was on the hunt for a wife, simply playing the field like a human man. But on the other hand, Vulcans were not human, and did not act like humans. She had even heard a college professor condemn humanity for being so free with their sexual passions. Renuk did not seem like a normal Vulcan in that regard.

She sighed, and deciding it was better to tell the Embassy about it, she contacted their front desk. An old Vulcan woman appeared on the screen and glared at Sera.

"_This is the Vulcan Consulate front desk. How may I be of service?_"

"Good afternoon," she replied nervously, fidgeting a little. "Um...I have an incident to report. Who is in charge of discipline at the Consulate?"

"_Ambassador Soval is involved in making sure all Vulcans in service on your planet act according to the rules of our culture. What precisely do you mean by incident?_"

"Well...last night, I met a Vulcan. I think his name is Renuk, if memory serves me right. For reasons that I'm sure you'd find disgusting, I have reason to believe he's breaking protocol, if my studies about Vulcan culture are any indication. Can I speak to Ambassador Soval? One of his aides? Does Renuk have an immediate supervisor?"

The woman narrowed her eyes at the screen, but then turned her head and stared at something off-camera. She heard a masculine voice speaking in Vulcan, and then the woman bowed her head and turned back to the screen.

"You are fortunate that Ambassador Soval has taken interest in Renuk's behavior. He will speak to you in a few moments."

Sera waited as the woman put her on hold, and the next face that came on screen was Ambassador Soval himself, with two Vulcans flanking him. She bowed slightly in greeting and offered him a wan smile, and the ambassador raised that Vulcan salute.

"You are Seraphina Goodman."

She frowned. "How do you know my name?"

"I recognized you," he replied smoothly. "Were you not at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Senate building?"

"I was. I'm President Samuel's aide, and I have an incident to report...I feel this is the right thing to do."

"What is the nature of your relationship with Renuk?"

"Well, we met last night at a dinner party, and he acted...strange. He was way too...I want to say charming, and I don't mean that as an insult by any means. He was just...eager, I guess. Now I know Vulcans are usually reserved...I also know they look down on our sexual practices. I have reason to believe this man is sleeping around. I look him up in the Vulcan database...he's married. So why did I smell jizz on his fingers?"

Soval frowned. "What is...jizz?"

The elder of the Vulcans, a man with silver hair much like the ambassador's, muttered something in the man's ear, and Soval's eyes widened.

"How did you know he had ejaculate on his fingers?"

Sera blushed. "He put his finger to my lips and I could smell it."

She thought the ambassador looked rather green, but he and the younger Vulcan beside him, a man with graying brown hair, exchanged a significant look.

"Ms. Goodman, would you be willing to help us?" the ambassador asked suddenly. "You are correct in noticing Renuk's odd behavior, and we have record of his...sleeping around. It would be much more effective if we caught him red-handed. Are you willing to aid us?"

"Sure...as long as I don't have to sleep with him. How many women has he been with?"

"More than five, according to our source. You will not have to engage in relations with him, simply...make it seem like you are seducing him."

"Ok...there's just one problem. I told him to never contact me again after the...incident. So how do I seduce him if he knows I find him repugnant?"

"Did you call him repugnant?"

"Not exactly, but I'm pretty sure I made my thoughts clear."

Soval simply raised an eyebrow. "That will not be a problem."

…

Renuk was just about to settle down for meditation when his comm beeped. The number was not from Vulcan, but from Earth, a residential number. He raised an eyebrow.

His expression faltered slightly when Seraphina Goodman appeared on the screen, and he tilted his head in silent query.

"May I help you, Ms. Goodman?"

She smiled at him. "Hi...um...I've been doing some thinking," she said slowly and carefully, twiddling with her hair. He found the mannerism attractive and raised his eyebrows further.

"Yes?"

"Well...I looked you up in the Vulcan database. It said your family is wealthy and powerful, and...maybe it wouldn't be...so bad...if we got together?"

She sounded unsure of herself, nervous even, but she gave him the most endearing smile, and he relaxed slightly.

"How did you convince the receptionist to let you talk to me?"

"I have connections, and I reminded her of that fact."

Renuk gazed deeply into her eyes, searching for any deception. She was being honest, but he wasn't completely convinced.

"I do want us to know each other better. I got emotional during our last meeting, and that was very wrong of me. I'm very sorry for what I said to you. And you are a very handsome man, and I've never been with a Vulcan before...heck, I've never been with a human, to be honest...I mean, think of the possibilities for my career if we got to know each other! I'm near nobody in the intergalactic community, and having connections with your family would do for me."

"You have never been with a man before?"

She shook her head, and he raised an eyebrow. Seraphina had his attention now, and the thought of being the first man to have her appealed to his darker nature much more than any of the others had. His own wife had been previously married, until her _telsu _died in a tragic accident in the Osana caverns. Her parents had contacted his a month after the incident, and they were married a month later. She had already been with her mate, and he was not the first to probe her depths.

He nodded, his fingertips tingling in anticipation. "Meet me at this address, and we'll...talk."

She smiled in relief and nodded vigorously. "What time?"

"Oh, say, in an hour?"

"Perfect. See you then."

She lingered, staring at him with a distant look on her face, and then terminated the link. He smirked and turned to his wardrobe for something more appropriate, relishing his victory.

…

Seraphina got to the address early, a modest-looking motel off the beaten path. She wondered briefly if he had met any of his other conquests here, but put the thought out of her mind for now. She needed to look like she was happy to see him, but a little nervousness would make the whole thing more convincing. After all, Soval had instructed her to act as if she had come to this choice reluctantly, but she was happy about it as well. Acting wasn't her forte, but thankfully, a little ego stroking went a long way with Renuk.

Renuk watched her arrive, observing her from a safe distance, and it pleased him. An untouched woman, even if she was a human, was a rare delicacy. He made her wait for a time, wanting to see if she would leave, or give any sign that she was not going to follow through. When he saw her stay, he left his flitter and entered the hotel lobby. He saw that she was distracted, and snuck up behind her pulling her into him by the waist.

"I did not think you would truly come, Seraphina. It pleases me you have," he whispered into her ear as he licked up its rounded shell. "Come with me..." He tugged her towards the lift.

She waited until the elevator doors closed before turning to him fully, stroking a timid hand over his hair, mussing it up. He smirked and buried his nose into her neck, making a noise like a purr as he licked back up to her ear. Sera thought perhaps he was trying to give her a hint, and she stood on her toes and licked up his ear. He jerked in response, pressing into her, and she licked him again.

"That is very agreeable," he moaned, diving for her neck again. She let him do whatever he wanted, knowing she would probably wake up with bruises in the morning from the way he was nibbling at her flesh.

When the lift door opened he picked her up, carrying her cradled in his arms. "I will make your first time memorable, Seraphina," he said in a low growl, walking down the hall with her. "You will be ruined for any other man." He tapped the door code and it slid open.

They entered an opulently decorated room, but Renuk walked her directly to the bed before she could take it all in. With surprising care, he set her on the satin sheets.

"I purchased us the...I believe the human phrase is ...honeymoon suite. I canceled all of my meetings until morning. I wished to have adequate time to please you..."

Now her nerves were building, but she calmed herself and thought of how this would ultimately be his downfall, and that he would be packing by dawn. She tugged his shirt collar down and licked at the exposed flesh, and he growled in her ear, nuzzling her with heady arousal. A few more moments, and his shirt was on the floor.

He made to reciprocate, and she hesitated before letting him take off her top. He cast it aside and reached for the front clasp of her bra, but she took his hand instead and caressed it.

Renuk moaned, much to her surprise, and she used his distraction to get his pants unbuttoned. "Do you like that?" she whispered, smiling at him even though his eyes were closed.

"I am very agreeable to your touch on my hands..." he growled, pushing off his pants and loincloth with the hand she was not caressing.

Soval stood rigidly outside the door. "Are we ready?" he asked, looking to Sorak and to L'Vek.

"More than ready," Sorak replied with barely contained rage. L'Vek stepped back, allowing the other human females to get to the door.

Soval tapped the security code into the door, motioning with his hand for the girls to go first.

Sera heard the door creak open and immediately pulled away from his rough kiss, covering her top half with the blanket and letting go of his hand. Renuk was exposed now, and the silence that pulsed through the room was nearly palpable.

Portia spoke first. "You little bastard," she hissed, stepping forward with fire in her eyes. "You didn't tell me you were married. I'm sorry, but I don't sleep with manwhores."

"Do you have any idea what you gave me, Renuk?" Maureen added, stepping up to back Portia. "I hope you keep it so you'll always remember us."

Renuk was speechless, and Sera kept her eyes averted from his package, slightly frightened of what she might find there. She felt her cheeks burning with shame by association, even though she was in the right.

Soval finally stepped forward and growled something in Vulcan, then waited for Renuk to get dressed before pushing him out the door.

Maureen watched Renuk leave, and glancing back at Sera, she sighed. "Be glad you have some smarts, girl. He has crabs..."

She huffed and walked out, following behind Portia.

Sera leaned back on the bed and laughed.

…

"Never in my time on Earth, nor in my lifetime, have I seen one of my staff act in such a despicable manner. You have broken a rule we hold sacred from birth, betraying your marriage and shaming all Vulcans in the process. How are the humans supposed to trust us if you destroy that trust to feed your beast?"

Renuk was silent, and L'Vek looked composed as ever as he stared at his former subordinate; Meral also looked composed, though Soval could see a glint of victory in his eyes. Sorak was silently fuming in the corner, but perhaps the oddest guest in the room was Commodore Forrest, who stood by Sorak and had an expression on his face that was a mix of disgust, anger and curiosity.

"You have lied to your colleagues and to your family, and nearly caused a diplomatic incident. You will compose an apology to every woman you had intercourse with, explaining thoroughly that your behavior was abnormal and abhorrent, and pray that their trust in Vulcans can someday be restored. I have already contacted your clan mother, and she is eager to speak with you once you return to Vulcan. I hereby strip you of your position and all its privileges. You are not fit for diplomacy, and your depraved behavior is more fitting an ancient warlord than a modern Vulcan. And to think, I heard you say many times when you thought I could not hear you that Vulcans are much more civilized than humans."

Silence reigned in the room for several minutes, until L'Vek spoke, his voice calm and collected, a stark contrast to Soval's harsh tones.

"My _a'duna _told me that had you engaged in this behavior in her hometown, you would have been stoned to death by the locals. Foreigners are not exempt from the laws they uphold in her country."

Soval sneered down at Renuk. "A fitting punishment for one so barbaric."

The ambassador stepped forward and curled his fingers around the symbols on the left side of Renuk's robes. He tore the three metallic glyphs off of him in rapid succession, then placed them on his desk.

"Your transport leaves within the hour. Get out of my sight," he growled, then turned his back on him, folding his hands neatly in front of him as he contemplated the view from his window.

He heard the man get up and walk towards the door, and he turned his head slightly so he could address the others in the room.

"L'Vek, if you would escort him to Meral's office so he may clear his things."

The adviser softly agreed to the task, and only when the door had closed again did he turn around.

"Osu?" Meral murmured, his voice tinged with surprise.

"Did I not tell you?" the ambassador said calmly. "You are hereby reinstated to your previous position, with all its rights and privileges. You begin as soon as you bring your things from Vulcan."

"Yes, Osu."

Meral left the room, presumably to arrange transportation for his personal belongings, and Soval turned to the human in the corner.

"Forgive us, commodore, for this display. Renuk is atypical, and will pay the price for what he has done."

Forrest shrugged. "Remind me never to piss you off. You sound scary when you growl."

The human left, and Sorak slumped his shoulders.

"On a more positive note, I heard Ms. Keeler and Meral planning a wedding in Jamaica. They are bonded, but her father wished them to exchange vows the human way. We are all invited."

"I have never been to a human wedding before," he mused. "I'm sure it will be a fascinating experience."


	15. The Wedding

_**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon, maba7x, mvw and bina W for reviewing.**_

Meral watched as Renuk neatly packed his things into a box, and he noted the disgraced aide was avoiding his gaze. It not affect him, though, and he continued to watch Renuk's progress.

"Are you so eager to be back in this position? There is hardly any prestige to being relegated to a backwater planet and consorting with uncivilized and uncouth natives."

"There is no prestige in having sexual relations outside one's marriage, but you did not let that stop you," he retorted. "If you must know, I am pleased to be back on Earth and near she who is my wife."

"What I don't understand," Renuk continued, as if he had not heard Meral, "is how you can be rewarded for your behavior. You took a human woman. I did the same, and yet you were reinstated and I will return home in disgrace. It wasn't as if those females did not freely give themselves away."

"You 'freely gave yourself away', but what fails to penetrate your thick skull is that human women are to be valued. Had you realized that earlier, you might have found yourself with a human wife of your own...granted you dissolved the bond with your _a'duna _first."

Renuk seemed oblivious to his voice. "Had I wanted it...I could have had your woman easily."

"My woman called you worthless scum. I believe you are gravely mistaken."

"I did not have her because I did not make the attempt to tempt her. She is...too inferior for me, and she has chosen the perfect Vulcan family...inferior in every way."

"Says the man who has broken Surak's laws and touched many who are not his own. Do not attempt to lecture me about inferiority. I know my place in this world, in this Consulate, but you have grossly overestimated yours."

Renuk snorted. "They are human. They are a part of the IDIC, but they were not meant to stand next to us in a meaningful way. They are not worthy."

Meral refused to be baited. "If you believe you are in the right, tell all of Vulcan what you have done here on this planet. See how they react to you."

He heard movement behind him, and a body brushed past him, headed straight for Renuk, who was distracted by a pile of PADDs.

Commodore Forrest punched Renuk in the nose, sending the man to the floor, where he lay, sprawled out on the carpet like an alcoholic who had had one too many.

The human shook his hand, wincing in pain. "Damn," he murmured. "Bastard's got a bony nose."

Meral simply raised an eyebrow and continued the work Renuk had started, but he did not bother to be neat about it. He threw everything into the box so it was a jumbled mess, then lifted the unconscious man and set him outside the door with his items.

"Your left hook is quite impressive, commodore," Meral commented, taking a seat behind his desk as if nothing had happened. "I do not know of any human who has managed to render a Vulcan unconscious through such means. Granted, had he noticed you, you most likely would not have done as much damage. Though Renuk of Shi'Kahr was never known for his fighting prowess."

The human laughed. "Welcome back, Mr. Adviser. By the way, I heard rumors about a tropical wedding?"

"Yes, Judith and I are exchanging vows in three weeks."

"Well, congratulations, Mr. Adviser."

"Would you like to come as my guest, commodore?"

Forrest blinked. "Wow...I'd be honored. Send me an invitation, and I'll try my best to make it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find something for my hand."

…

Judith adjusted Meral's collar, grinning in satisfaction at the clothes she had convinced him to wear. All the guests were wearing white and blue, and Meral was no exception, with his breezy white button-down and lightweight trousers, he looked younger, fresher than he did in his usual stuffy robes. She unbuttoned two of the top buttons, then refastened the bottom one.

"Can't be showin' dem too much of dis boombastic body, ai?"

"My body is for you to see, and no one else," he agreed, then ran his hands down her sides. "You look agreeable in white, Judith. You would look agreeable in anything, but even so..."

She giggled and pressed her forehead to his. "Who knew ya Vulcans would look so good in color, eh? It be good to get out of dem robes and let yer body breathe."

Meral smirked and stroked his fingers down her face. "Are you ready?"

"Papa be comin' any minute."

As if waiting for his cue, Jovan pushed aside the curtain to the dressing room and poked his head in. "We be walkin' down dat aisle in five, Judith. Meral, me Vulcan brotha, you come wit I."

Meral nodded and gave Judith one last satisfied look before following a family member to the marquee where the wedding was being held. Jovan stayed and tucked a flower into his daughter's hair.

"You make me a proud papa, baby girl," he grumbled, his lined eyes glittering with joy. "Now go out der, and shine."

She smiled and tucked her arm in his, and once the music started, she stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine.

The spectrum of color that hit her eyes made her smile as Jovan steered her into the shade of the marquee, as every guest had been asked to wear something colorful, and if they could not manage that (she was thinking mostly of the Vulcans), she asked them to wear white and blue. The Vulcans somehow looked more alien, yet younger and more relaxed in their human clothing, and the white shirts did not hide the fact that Soval, Sorak and L'Vek were all well-built, muscular men. The guests at her wedding were getting a rare glimpse at the Vulcan body, and she certainly appreciated the view. Meral's shirt rustled in the light breeze coming off the ocean, and she grinned at him as her father let her go with a kiss on the cheek and allowed her to continue the last few steps alone.

She took both his hands in hers as the minister began the ceremony, and she could not stop smiling at him. Their bond was humming with satisfaction and contentment, and as the sun set into the west, she thought to herself that she had never felt so happy.

…

Sorak handed Soval a cup of tropical punch and took a sip himself, raising his eyebrows in surprise. The punch was flavorful, infused with fruits he had never even seen before, and he took another sip, glancing over to gauge the ambassador's reaction.

"This is very agreeable," Soval murmured, taking a few more sips. "I have not tasted many cuisines from the Caribbean, but the fruits in this region are rather succulent. Perhaps we should incorporate them into the dining hall's menu."

"Indeed," the aide agreed. He glanced over at the crowd, at all the women gathered under the canopy. Several caught his eye, but he stayed put, even though Ms. Sadir had given him and the ambassador a crash course in slow dancing, so they would not look like fools on the dance floor.

"You should ask one of them to dance, Sorak," Soval prodded. "Many of them are eying you. I doubt they would refuse, and you are more graceful than I when it comes to human dancing."

Sorak shook his head. "Oh no, Osu. We just rid ourselves of one womanizer; we do not need another."

Soval smirked, watching Sorak eye the women in spite of his words. "You respect humanity. I would think if one stirred your _katra, _you would fall on your own _lirpa_ if it would please your mate. You are not bonded. If Meral can find a mate among the humans, then I see no reason why you cannot."

Sorak felt heat prickle his ears. He hoped he could but...he could not imagine who might want him.

"L'Vek has also found a human mate..."

Sorak shifted and raised his hand, a surge of envy washing over his stomach. "Your point is taken, Osu, but I would say the same to you," he replied, hoping to shift the focus of the conversation.

However, as if to prove Soval's point, Judith stepped out of the crowd, pulling with her a lovely tanned woman in a yellow dress. Sorak swallowed thickly, noticing how beautiful Judith's friend was, and the bride grinned at him.

"Dis be my girl, Flavia. She wants to dance wit you, Mr. Sorak."

The aide felt his face flush green, but Soval spoke before he could form a coherent sentence.

"Sorak would be very pleased to dance with you, madam," the ambassador said smoothly. "He has even taken a few lessons to learn your dance forms. I think you will find him a very suitable partner."

Forrest wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulders and steered her towards the ambassador, whose aide was being dragged onto the dance floor. The bride was laughing at the sight, but soon left to find her husband, and Soval turned towards him and his entourage.

"Ambassador. I don't believe you've met my family. This is my wife, Abigail, and my daughter, Genevieve. My sons couldn't make it, I'm afraid."

Genie swallowed hard once her father stopped talking. "Would you dance with me?" she asked boldly.

The commodore rounded on her. "Genie! I told you-"

Soval smirked. "Do not chastise her, commodore. Judith was telling me at length about the concept humans have about karma. I believe I have now seen this concept in action."

He turned and stared down at the commodore's daughter. "I am agreeable to dancing with you, young T'Sai." He held out his hand, strengthening his shields before she touched him, and led her to the dance floor.

Abigail sighed. "Damn, if I had known that..."

Max elbowed her gently. "Your dance card is full, woman. Come on.." He pulled her onto the dance floor.

Genie felt almost as if she might faint as the ambassador lightly wrapped his fingers around the subtle curve of her waist, and she looked up into his hazel eyes through her eyelashes.

"I didn't think you would accept," she murmured, taking his hand in hers. "Also, I wasn't sure if you danced or not."

"As you can see, I do," he replied, and she blushed.

"You know, ambassador, you might want to consider negotiating in an outfit like the one you have on. I think us humans would give you anything you wanted. 'It would be in Vulcan's best interests to raise the tariff on Vulcan goods at least 22.67%.' 'That sounds very reasonable, ambassador'...I'm just saying." She trailed off, looking away from him for a second, blushing madly at her cheek.

Amusement touched Soval's eyes. "While that might be beneficial to my people, I hardly think it in the realm of fair play, Miss Forrest. Now, if you could apply that mind of yours to how to get that kind of leverage with the Andorians, contact my office."

The music stopped and Soval let go of his young dance partner. He bowed his head, and raised a _ta'al._ "It was agreeable to dance with you," he said, leading her off the floor.

Max joined them with Abigail, who was grinning at something her husband said. "Did you have a good time, Genie?" She saw her daughter blushing and already knew the answer.

L'Vek, as best man, was instructed to stand on a chair and clink a glass to gain everyone's attention. "Now, the groom will throw the garter. I am told this is a human tradition, that means

whoever catches it will be the next man to marry."

A second later the garter landed perfectly around the leaf point of Soval's ear. Max couldn't help himself; he threw his head back and laughed, leading to every other human to laugh at Soval's mortified look. He slid his hand up and discreetly procured the undergarment from his ear, which caused every one to clap.

"And now the bride will throw her bouquet. Whoever catches it is required to dance with the man who caught the garter, in this case, Ambassador Soval."

Genie was shoved forward into the fray by her mother, but hung back a little, having never met the bride and only attending with her father. However, the bouquet soared over the other girl's heads, and she raised her arm and caught the bunch of flowers.

Soval was nearly green by the time she returned to her father with the bouquet, which she handed off to her mother. "Well, I guess we have to dance," she said, not really upset about that.

He flared his nostrils, but led her out onto the dance floor anyway and took her in his arms. She could feel her face starting to burn, as everyone's eyes were fixed on them, but the ambassador was just as graceful as he was handsome. He led her in a gentle boxstep, maintaining a proper distance as to not compromise their propriety. But still, he looked stiff and uncomfortable, and she leaned forward with a reassuring smile.

"I don't bite, ambassador. Chance brought us together for an extra dance. There's nothing to be ashamed of, you know."

"I am aware, Ms. Forrest, of the circumstances. I am just not favorable to being on display," Soval said stiffly, keeping his guards up, and maintaining a more respectful distance. "On Vulcan," he whispered, "touching is...not done in public. I honored the traditions of your people, but this is...difficult." He looked down at her and sighed. "Do you understand?"

Genie nodded primly, but was bursting with pride anyway, making sure to note who was taking pictures so she could get a copy from every angle.

The dance ended, and he led her back off the dance floor. Before he could slip away, she lightly touched his shoulder.

"Thank you for that, ambassador. I enjoyed it."

His eyes twinkled, or at least she thought she saw them twinkle, and he bowed his head. "It was a fascinating experience. I hope you enjoy the rest of the party."

…

V'Lok weaved in and out of the crowd, dressed in white like the staff catering for this event, and he glanced around for Seraphina. He knew she was in the crowd, as Meral had invited her in thanks for getting rid of his brother. The lights in the canopy made it hard to see, but he would find his prize, and ask her to dance.

Sera stood at the palm tree line, staring out over the expanse of the sea. She leaned against the nearest tree and relished the sensation of all the stresses of life fading away. She smiled as she glanced back at the crowd; it was nice to think that true love, even between aliens, was possible, and that not all men were like Renuk. It meant a lot to her that Meral had invited her and paid for the trip, even with a few extra days in thanks for her help getting his position back. She stepped out of her heels and picked them up, then stepped into the white sands to walk by herself.

V'Lok noted that Sera had slipped away from the party, and he noted a dark figure wandering along the shoreline, kicking up the waves as they rolled in. He followed her out onto the beach, the weak moon above his head lighting his way.

She did not anticipate his approach and turned around with wide eyes when he said her name, but he pressed forward, folding his hands behind his back.

"Why have you left the celebration, Ms. Goodman?"

Sera eyed him a moment. "They're all friends and family, and this is a time for friends and family. I'm only an acquaintance." She smile softly, brushing her hair back from her face. "You don't look like a waiter."

"What do you mean?" he asked, truly interested in her powers of observation.

"You stand like a Vulcan. Your body is that of a soldier, not someone surfing on the beach, your arms are corded in such a way that kind of makes me think of a warrior..." She looked him over again. "And your clothing is perfect."

He smirked and uncovered his ears and shook the hair out of his eyes. "Very astute, Ms. Goodman. It seems I cannot deceive you. I would not wish to, in any case."

"Why not?"

"You have been lied to before. Renuk was dishonest and betrayed the trust you were willing to place in him."

Her eyes flooded with anger and confusion. "How do you know about that? I've never seen you before...or have you been spying on me?"

V'Lok shook his head. "I was spying on Renuk. You simply came into view, and I have been intrigued by you since. You are not easily deceived, and although my brother's behavior was abhorrent, his taste was not. He was correct when he said you are beautiful beyond the capacity of your tongue to express."

She closed her eyes, turning away from him. "Please don't repeat his words to me."

"Then I will cease my quotations. I understand Soval has offered you an internship at the Consulate. You wish to expand your career and make your way into the diplomatic sphere."

She changed her body posture to show him she was shutting him off, and she crossed her arms over her chest, but nodded. "Yes. That is my intention."

"I am the chief investigator on Vulcan. Do you know Earth history?"

"Of course."

"Then a comparison might be...J Edgar Hoover, and your F.B.I."

"Good for you. Sorry about your brother..."

"There is no need to apologize, Ms. Goodman. I aided in him being caught, as his actions were abhorrent to me. I want to give you some advice, if you will hear it, even though you are doing your best to show me you do not want me here." He moved so he was behind her. "Take the internship."

She shivered despite her cold posture, and she turned her head to watch his progress as he paced around her. Now that he was closer to her, she could see that he was very much like Renuk, but different. This man had an ease about him, a strong presence that Renuk could never achieve. And she did not smell anything fishy on him, even though his cold gaze made her tremble.

"I don't even know your name," she whispered. Why was she whispering?

"My name is V'Lok," he replied smoothly. "I want you to take the internship. Will you indulge me?"

"Why should I?" she whispered again, chiding herself inwardly for letting him set this hushed tone.

"That is a good question," he said, and she swore she could hear him smirking. "Because I can teach you things, things that will aid you not only in your profession, but in your life. You did well, spotting my brother as you did, but I can teach you things that will assure no one, not even me, will ever deceive you again."

She swallowed. "And what do you want in return?"

He stepped up behind her and gently tucked a stray auburn lock behind her ear. "I would never ask for something you are not willing to give. That would be futile. So let me ask you...what are you willing to give me?"

She stiffened, and he dared not touch her, even though her scent was clouding his synapses...she smelled intoxicating...

"I don't know. I don't even know if I want to take your offer..."

V'lok nodded. "Very well," he said evenly. "I will give you time to think about it..."

He pointed in the distance to a boat on the water, and Sera looked. She stared at it for a moment and then turned, but he was gone. She shivered slightly, dropping her protective stance, and she looked up and down the beach but didn't even see his footprints. Shaking her head, she decided to head back to the party.

…

Judith clung to Meral as he carried her through the door to the suite they had rented, and she kissed his neck as he locked the door and turned to her, familiar fire lighting his eyes.

"We jumped dat gun wit dat Vulcan bonding, no?"

"You are referring to our intercourse, and implying that this time together is redundant? My Judith, I thought you enjoyed spending time with me..."

She grinned at his teasing and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Ai, dat I do...an' no amount of lovin' on my Vulcan man is redundant, Mister Meral."

He purred as he unzipped her dress and let it fall to the floor, and his shirt and slacks followed quickly. Meral stepped over the pile of clothes and pushed her gently onto the bed, and she felt herself tremble in anticipation as he crawled on the bed towards her, his powerful arms cording with every movement.

"You pushed me beyond my level of tolerance, Judith, and there is only so much I can take before I am forced to retaliate."

She grinned as he began nosing about her thighs, and she throbbed, the anticipation and heat building between them.

"But now I be yers, love..."

"A fact I will remind you of many times tonight, and during our lifetime together."

She laid back into the pillows and stared up at the ceiling, closing her eyes against the wonderful pleasure he coaxed from her body. "I love you, Mister Meral...never forget dat..."

For a moment, he did not reply, but then she swore she heard him murmur four words.

"I love you, too."

She could only smile.

**_A/N: I could not have completed this story in this amount of time without Fameanon's help. Thank you so much, sweetie!_**


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